FILE – On this picture offered by the North Korean authorities, North Korean chief Kim Jong Un, left, shakes palms with Chinese language President Xi Jinping in Beijing Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025.
朝鮮通信社/KCNA by way of KNS by way of AP
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朝鮮通信社/KCNA by way of KNS by way of AP
SEOUL, South Korea — Chinese language President Xi Jinping and North Korean chief Kim Jong Un underscored their dedication to deepen cooperation in a intently watched summit on Monday, as Xi made a uncommon go to to Pyongyang in a possible try and reassert Beijing’s distinctive affect over its socialist neighbor.
It is Xi’s first go to to North Korea in seven years. Earlier Monday, he was given a lavish welcome upon arrival at Pyongyang’s worldwide airport. He and his spouse Peng Liyuan had been greeted by Kim and his spouse Ri Sol Ju, who broadly smiled and clapped.
Xi later arrived at Pyongyang’s foremost sq., the place a navy honor guard and 1000’s of individuals, together with kids carrying balloons and hopping, staged a welcoming ceremony. Buildings surrounding the plaza had been draped within the two international locations’ flags, big portraits of Kim and Xi and red-and-yellow banners welcoming the Chinese language chief and celebrating the nations’ “friendship and unity.”
Xi and Kim specific their hopes for higher ties
In a summit later Monday, Xi expressed China’s willingness to develop cooperation in a variety of areas together with commerce, agriculture, building and know-how, China’s state broadcaster CCTV stated in an internet report.
Xi stated the 2 international locations ought to strengthen strategic cooperation and firmly safeguard their respective sovereignty and safety pursuits, in keeping with the report.
Kim stated Xi’s go to “clearly demonstrates how unbreakable” the North Korean-China relationship is, CCTV stated. It cited Kim as saying that consolidating a brand new period of friendship between the 2 international locations is the “unchanging strategic selection” of North Korea.
Full particulars of the assembly weren’t obtainable. However overseas consultants earlier predicted the assembly would have huge ramifications on bilateral ties and past, as they each search to completely restore their conventional alliance within the face of separate confrontations with the U.S.
Xi and Kim final met in Beijing in September, after viewing a navy parade alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and different overseas leaders.
Sway over North Korea may assist Xi’s dealings with US
Xi’s journey comes after his back-to-back summits with U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin in Beijing final month. Xi is predicted to satisfy Trump once more on a deliberate U.S. go to in September.
Xi will attempt to display China’s “sway over the Korean Peninsula” and “a management function in total Northeast Asia within the age of strategic competitors with the U.S.,” stated Kwak Gil Sup, the pinnacle of One Korea Heart, a web site specializing in North Korea affairs.
China has lengthy been North Korea’s financial lifeline and foremost diplomatic backer. Specialists say China has averted absolutely imposing U.N. sanctions on North Korea and despatched clandestine help to assist its impoverished neighbor keep afloat. This 12 months marks 65 years for the reason that two international locations signed a mutual protection treaty.
However there have been questions on their ties in recent times, with North Korea prioritizing cooperation with Russia by supplying troops and weapons to assist its struggle in opposition to Ukraine. In return, North Korea has obtained financial and navy help from Russia.
Restoring an unique affect over North Korea would give Xi a leverage in dealings with Trump, who has repeatedly expressed his need to restart diplomacy with Kim, consultants say.
“Implementing U.N. Safety Council resolutions and imposing sanctions don’t seem like priorities for China,” stated Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha Womans College in Seoul.
A two-way commerce quantity between China and North Korea final 12 months recovered to pre-pandemic ranges. Earlier this 12 months, the international locations additionally resumed direct flights and passenger trains, stalled for the reason that pandemic. Xi stated Monday that each nations ought to use the reopening of flight and practice providers as an opportunity to develop people-to-people exchanges.
A road is embellished with the flags of China and North Korea in Pyongyang, on Monday, June 8, 2026.
Jon Chol Jin/AP
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Jon Chol Jin/AP
Kim wants Xi’s assist for his push for nuclear state
Xi would doubtless supply Kim financial help packages corresponding to shipments of rice and fertilizers, a resumption of Chinese language group tourism to North Korea. and joint financial initiatives, analysts stated.
“North Korea cannot solely depend on Russia. It must align with China,” Kwak stated.
Xi may additionally chorus from urgent Kim on the problem of denuclearization of North Korea, and vaguely talk about peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. That may be important for Kim, who’s determined to win worldwide recognition as a nuclear weapons state as a approach to name for lifting of U.N. sanctions on North Korea.
“Chinese language officers have taken the place of not talking publicly about denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula whereas nonetheless sustaining it as a long-term purpose. Kim seems to need Xi to just accept North Korea as a nuclear neighbor,” Easley stated.
After final month’s summit between Trump and Xi, the White Home stated the 2 leaders confirmed their shared purpose to denuclearize North Korea. However China solely stated the leaders mentioned the nuclear problem on the Korean Peninsula. On Sunday, Kim’s sister and senior official, Kim Yo Jong, echoed her brother, dismissed as an “anachronistic dream” a U.S. push for the denuclearization of North Korea.
Final week, Kim unveiled a brand new plant to provide nuclear substances and vowed to bolster the nation’s nuclear forces “at an exponential price.” He additionally noticed sea trials of a brand new naval destroyer and referred to as for dashing up efforts to construct a nuclear-armed navy.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung instructed reporters Monday that North Korea is producing sufficient nuclear substances yearly for about 10-20 bombs and is near perfecting intercontinental ballistic missile know-how. Lee stated the world should first deal with convincing North Korea to freeze its nuclear supplies manufacturing and ICBM program as a short-term purpose.
Kim Jong Un has centered on enlarging and modernizing his nuclear arsenal since his high-stakes diplomacy with Trump collapsed in 2019. The North Korean chief stated in September that he nonetheless had “good private reminiscences” of Trump however urged the U.S. to withdraw its demand for North Korea to denuclearize as a precondition for resuming diplomacy.
