Chinese President Xi Jinping made a rare trip to North Korea on Monday to call for increased economic and military cooperation between the two Asian governments. The two-day visit to Pyongyang is the first Xi has made in seven years and is the Chinese premier’s first trip abroad in 2026.
Before the trip, Xi wrote in a letter to North Korean media that “no matter how times change or how the international situation evolves, the traditional friendship between China and North Korea remains unbreakable, enduring, and constantly radiates vitality.”
Xi was welcomed by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Kim’s wife, Ri Sol Ju, in a ceremony that included cheering crowds, a mounted cavalry escort, and a 21-gun salute, Chinese state media reported.
The trip comes as Kim appears newly emboldened by his partnership with Moscow. North Korea has supplied Russia with troops and munitions for the war in Ukraine, while Russia has provided oil, food, and military technology.
Xi’s visit underscored China’s position as North Korea’s main economic lifeline and diplomatic partner—a relationship that has diminished in importance as North Korea has become more integrated into the Russian economy and sphere of influence. Kim, meanwhile, may hope to use his closer ties with Russia to press Beijing for additional economic support.
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