Chinese President Xi Jinping Arrives in North Korea for 2-Day State Visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in North Korea on Monday, June 8, for a two-day state visit, marking his first trip to Pyongyang in nearly seven years. Xi was personally welcomed at the airport by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a rare public appearance by Kim. Accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan, Xi was also met by North Korean children presenting bouquets. The visit includes a welcome ceremony at Kim Il Sung Square with a 21-gun salute and a review of honor guards. Talks are expected to cover economic ties, Korean Peninsula issues, and coordination with Moscow. This visit comes amid strengthened North Korea-Russia ties, including North Korean troops participating in Moscow’s Victory Day parade last month. Kim Yo-Jong recently declared North Korea’s nuclear status irreversible. The trip is symbolically significant, coinciding with the 65th anniversary of the Friendship Treaty between the two nations. Xi last visited Pyongyang in 2019, while Kim met Xi in Beijing in September 2023 for Victory Day celebrations alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Preparations in Pyongyang included portraits of Xi and flags of both nations. Banners celebrated the traditional friendship between the countries. Xi’s visit may reaffirm China’s influence on the Korean Peninsula following his recent summits with U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin, and his attendance at the APEC summit in South Korea.

**Note:** This article has been rewritten for clarity and structure, with minor edits for neutrality and to remove sensational language.