Pyongyang: Chinese President Xi Jinping was set to arrive in North Korea on Monday for a two-day state visit, marking his first trip to Pyongyang in nearly seven years as Beijing aims to reinforce its alliance with the country amid North Korea's growing closeness with Russia.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Xi is expected to land at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, where a potential greeting by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is anticipated. The two leaders will then proceed through streets that are likely to be adorned with welcoming crowds before attending a ceremony at Kim Il Sung Square. Discussions are expected to follow, focusing on economic relations and issues concerning the Korean Peninsula, including coordination strategies among Pyongyang, Beijing, and Moscow.
Xi's previous visit to Pyongyang took place on June 20-21, 2019, marking his first state visit to the city since assuming office in late 2012. In September, Xi and Kim met in Beijing during China's Victory Day celebrations, where they stood alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin at a military parade.
Kim Jong-un has visited Beijing five times to meet Xi since he came to power following the death of his father, Kim Jong-il, in December 2011. Xi's upcoming trip holds symbolic significance as this year marks the 65th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between Pyongyang and Beijing, providing both nations with opportunities to reaffirm their alliance and enhance economic ties.
The visit also occurs in the context of deepening relations between Pyongyang and Moscow. Recently, North Korean troops participated alongside Russian forces in Moscow's Victory Day parade, which commemorates the Soviet Union's victory over Germany in World War II. Despite the impending visit, Pyongyang has maintained its military stance. On Sunday, Kim Jong-un's sister, Kim Yo-Jong, declared the country's nuclear status irreversible, describing it as a "line of no retreat."
Last week, Kim Jong-un inspected a newly launched nuclear materials production facility, committing to expanding the country's arsenal. He also oversaw a naval destroyer's navigation test and emphasized strengthening the country's nuclear deterrent.
For Beijing, Xi's visit provides a chance to reaffirm its influence over the Korean Peninsula. This visit follows Xi's separate summits with U.S. President Donald Trump and President Putin in Beijing last month, as well as his attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea in October. Xi is expected to arrive in Pyongyang with a comprehensive understanding of the major powers' positions on Korean Peninsula affairs, potentially opening avenues to restart stalled diplomacy among Pyongyang, Washington, and Seoul.