Xi Jinping's Visit to North Korea
China's leader Xi Jinping is set to visit North Korea, a long-standing ally, for the first time in nearly seven years, according to state media reports.
Xi will be in North Korea from 8-9 June at the invitation of his counterpart Kim Jong Un. His last visit to Pyongyang was in 2019.
Context of the Visit
This visit follows weeks after Xi hosted US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing—two nations that play significant roles in Pyongyang's foreign relations.
China remains a key economic and political partner of North Korea, which is subject to extensive international sanctions due to its nuclear weapons program and alleged human rights violations.
Pyongyang considers the US its primary political adversary, while viewing Russia as a growing ally to whom Kim Jong Un has pledged unwavering support.
Despite Beijing's close ties with both Pyongyang and Moscow, Xi is cautious about the expanding alliance between Kim and Putin.
China-North Korea Relations
China and North Korea share a 1,400-kilometer border and are bound by a defense pact—the only such treaty China has with any country. This pact guarantees mutual support if either nation is attacked.
This year marks the 65th anniversary of that treaty.
Beijing has historically served as the primary mediator between Kim's isolated regime and the international community.
Inter-Korean Relations and Mediation
As Pyongyang adopts a more hostile stance towards Seoul—including recently revising its constitution to remove references to reunification—South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has requested Xi's assistance in mediating inter-Korean relations.
Regarding this request, Xi responded that
"patience is needed"
Lee later told reporters.
Denuclearization Stance
While Beijing has long advocated for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, reflecting international calls for North Korea's disarmament, it has softened this position in recent years.
During the Trump-Xi meeting last month, the two leaders reaffirmed the shared goal of denuclearizing North Korea, according to a White House fact sheet summarizing the meeting.
However, when questioned about this at a press briefing, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson did not explicitly confirm the agreement, stating instead that China's position on the issue has maintained
"continuity and consistency"
North Korea's Nuclear Ambitions
Pyongyang has clearly indicated it will not abandon its nuclear ambitions.
Just this week, Kim Jong Un stated that North Korea's
"weapons-grade nuclear materials production capacity more than doubled"
over the past five years, as he toured a new nuclear facility, according to state media reports.
