Xi Jinping Lands in Pyongyang for First North Korea Visit in Seven Years

Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in Pyongyang on Monday for a significant two-day state visit, marking his first trip to North Korea since 2019 and his second as head of state. The arrival, reported by China's Xinhua news agency, signals a potential shift in regional dynamics.

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Xi's trip seeks to ensure China maintains its influence over North Korea, which has been strengthening its ties with Russia in recent years.

The visit is widely interpreted as Beijing's effort to reassert its influence over Pyongyang and reinvigorate a relationship that, despite a historical alliance, has experienced periods of strain. These cooling phases have been attributed to North Korea's nuclear tests and China's deepening ties with South Korea, contrasted with North Korea's growing relationship with Russia.

Benoit Hardy-Chartrand, a researcher at Temple University's Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies in Japan, views Xi's trip as a strategic move. "Xi's trip seeks to ensure China maintains its influence over North Korea, which has been strengthening its ties with Russia in recent years," he told EFE. Hardy-Chartrand noted that while China remains North Korea's primary trading partner, Pyongyang has historically been cautious about over-reliance on Beijing. Consequently, strengthening ties with Moscow, particularly in defense and trade, has been beneficial for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

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If China remains, by a wide margin, North Korea's most important trading partner, Pyongyang has always been cautious about the idea of depending too much on Beijing. Therefore, Pyongyang's strengthening of relations with Moscow, especially in the areas of defense and trade, has been a very positive development.

The visit follows a series of high-level bilateral contacts, including North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui's trip to China in September 2025, Chinese Premier Li Qiang's visit to Pyongyang in October for the Workers' Party anniversary, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit in April. On Monday, Xi published an article in the North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun, advocating for the continuation of the China-North Korea alliance and urging enhanced coordination against "hegemonism" and "power politics."

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It is unlikely that President Trump's hopes of resuming dialogue with Kim Jong-un will be met.

China serves as North Korea's principal political and economic ally, sharing a border exceeding 1,400 kilometers. It plays a crucial role in North Korea's trade, food, and energy supplies, though these exchanges are constrained by international sanctions related to Pyongyang's nuclear program. The visit also occurs after Xi's summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Beijing, where both leaders reportedly confirmed a "shared goal" of denuclearizing North Korea, a formulation absent from China's readout of the meeting. Hardy-Chartrand commented, "President Trump's hopes of resuming dialogue with Kim Jong-un are unlikely to be met," adding that "Kim Jong-un's need for diplomacy with the United States has been enormously reduced."

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Kim Jong-un's need for diplomacy with the United States has been enormously reduced.