Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to North Korea next week for a visit scheduled for June 8-9. This marks his first trip to the isolated state since 2019 and his first overseas trip of the year. The announcement was made by state media in both countries on Friday.
The visit follows recent meetings in Beijing during May, where Xi hosted United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Through this trip, Beijing seeks to reinforce close ties with its nuclear-armed neighbor. This move comes as China positions itself as a global power projecting stability in contrast to the erratic tariff policies and economically damaging war against Iran pursued by the U.S.
The announcement of the trip came one day after North Korea unveiled a new facility designed to produce nuclear fuel and material for nuclear bombs. As Xi visits Pyongyang, he faces an emboldened North Korean dictator whose strengthening alliance with Russia has reduced his dependence on China. The visit underscores North Korea’s rising importance among the biggest adversaries of the United States.