Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang on June 8-9, marking his first visit in nearly seven years. The trip comes weeks after Xi hosted both US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing, underscoring the delicate geopolitical balancing act.
China remains North Korea's key economic and political partner, bound by a defense pact and a 1,400km shared border. This year marks the 65th anniversary of that treaty. Beijing has long served as the main mediator between Pyongyang and the world.
Kim Jong Un is expected to leverage the visit for propaganda value and to demand increased trade and Chinese tourism. Seoul hopes Xi will push for renewed dialogue between North and South Korea, which have been frozen since Kim declared South Korea a sworn enemy in December 2024.
Xi is wary of the growing alliance between Kim and Putin, despite close ties with both. While Beijing officially supports denuclearization, it has softened its tone recently. Pyongyang remains defiant: Kim recently claimed North Korea's nuclear materials production capacity has more than doubled in five years.