Chinese leader Xi Jinping will travel to North Korea next week, both countries announced Friday, marking his first visit in nearly seven years. The trip is the latest step by China to reinforce its close ties with its nuclear-armed neighbor.
Context of the Visit
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has recently strengthened ties with Russia, including sending troops and conventional weapons to support Moscow's war in Ukraine. In the past year, Kim has also sought to improve relations with China, North Korea's biggest trading partner and aid provider.
"As North Korea builds closer ties with Russia, China seeks to use Xi's trip to reassert its influence over Pyongyang and safeguard its strategic interests in northeast Asia," said William Yang, an analyst for the International Crisis Group.
Details of the State Visit
Xi will make a state visit from Monday to Tuesday, according to Chinese and North Korean state media. His last visit to North Korea was in June 2019. The trip aims to advance bilateral ties and strengthen regional peace and stability, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday.
"The traditional friendly and cooperative relations between China and the DPRK have continued to develop in a sound and stable manner, bringing tangible benefits to both countries and their peoples," spokeswoman Mao Ning said, using the abbreviation for North Korea's full name.
The visit comes just weeks after Xi hosted U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in quick succession in Beijing.
Nuclear Concerns
North Korea's nuclear weapons program remains a major concern for the United States, which opposes it. The United Nations has imposed economic sanctions on North Korea due to its nuclear and missile development.
The announcement of Xi's trip came a day after North Korea unveiled a new facility believed to produce material for nuclear bombs, likely a uranium enrichment plant. During a visit to the plant, Kim announced plans to bolster the country's nuclear forces "at an exponential rate."
Experts say the disclosure implies Kim is eager to cement North Korea's status as a nuclear weapons state ahead of Xi's visit. Kim reportedly seeks international recognition as a nuclear state to demand the lifting of sanctions and ultimately push for arms reduction talks with the U.S., trading partial nuclear surrender for concessions.
Kim has focused on expanding his nuclear arsenal since high-stakes diplomacy with Trump collapsed in 2019. Trump has expressed desire to restore diplomacy, but Kim insists the U.S. must first drop its demand for denuclearization as a precondition.
Analysts' Expectations
Analysts will watch for any Chinese statements during Xi's visit regarding calls for North Korea's denuclearization. Xi and Kim met in Beijing in September, pledging mutual support and enhanced cooperation. Kim attended a Chinese military parade alongside Putin and other foreign leaders.
Russia and China, both veto-wielding U.N. Security Council members, have previously blocked U.S.-led efforts to toughen sanctions on North Korea despite its banned weapons tests. At their September meeting, Putin and Xi expressed opposition to "foreign policy isolation, economic sanctions, military pressure and other methods of creating threats to the security" of North Korea, according to the Kremlin.
Embracing a "new Cold War" and multipolar world, Kim has pursued a more assertive foreign policy by expanding ties with countries confronting the United States.
Xi's overseas travel has been rare since the COVID-19 pandemic. His last foreign trip was to South Korea last fall for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, where he met Trump.
