Xi Jinping to Visit North Korea Next Week in Historic Trip

BEIJING — Xi Jinping, the leader of China, is set to travel to North Korea next week, as announced by both nations on Friday. This visit will mark his first trip to the country in nearly seven years, reflecting China’s efforts to bolster its relationship with the nuclear-armed neighbour.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has increasingly sought support from Russia in recent years, notably providing troops and conventional weapons in aid of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, over the past year, Kim has also aimed to enhance relations with China, which stands as North Korea's largest trading partner and primary provider of aid.

William Yang, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, stated, "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."

The state visit is scheduled to take place from Monday to Tuesday, according to brief announcements from Chinese and North Korean state media. Xi's last visit to North Korea occurred in June 2019.

A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry indicated that the trip is intended to promote bilateral ties and contribute to regional peace and stability. Spokeswoman Mao Ning noted, "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."

This announcement coincides with Xi's recent hosting of both U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in rapid succession in Beijing. North Korea's developing nuclear weapons programme has long raised alarms within the United States, which remains opposed to it. The United Nations has imposed economic sanctions against North Korea in response to its nuclear and missile development activities.

Just a day before the announcement of Xi's trip, North Korea revealed a new facility purportedly designed to produce materials for nuclear weapons, believed to be a uranium enrichment plant, although the North has yet to confirm this. During a visit to this facility, Kim vowed to enhance the country's nuclear capabilities "at an exponential rate."

Experts suggest that this disclosure indicates Kim's desire to solidify North Korea’s status as a nuclear power ahead of Xi's visit. They assert that Kim seeks international recognition as a nuclear state to eventually advocate for the lifting of sanctions and to pursue negotiations with the U.S. on arms reductions in exchange for possible concessions.

Since the breakdown of his engagement with Trump in 2019, Kim has intensified efforts to expand his nuclear arsenal. Trump has reiterated his desire to restore diplomatic relations with Kim, but the North Korean leader has maintained that the U.S. must first abandon its denuclearisation demands as a precondition for any negotiations.

Analysts are closely monitoring what stance, if any, China will take regarding denuclearisation during Xi's visit. Xi and Kim had previously met in Beijing in September, committing to mutual support and improved cooperation. Kim attended a military parade in the Chinese capital alongside other leaders, including Putin.

Both Russia and China, permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, have previously obstructed moves by the U.S. and other nations aimed at imposing stricter international sanctions on North Korea, despite ongoing weapons tests that contravene UN resolutions.

In their meeting last month, Putin and Xi expressed opposition to what they termed "foreign policy isolation, economic sanctions, military pressure, and other methods of creating threats to the security" of North Korea, according to a statement released by the Kremlin.

Aligning with notions of a "new Cold War" and a multipolar world, Kim has been advocating for a more assertive foreign policy, seeking to expand ties with countries at odds with the United States. Xi's upcoming trip is notable given his significantly reduced international travel since the COVID-19 pandemic; his last overseas visit prior to this was to South Korea last autumn for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, where he also met Trump.