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. This visit underscores Beijing's intent to reinforce ties with its traditional ally, which has been increasingly aligning with Russia.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Xi is expected to land at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, where he might be greeted by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, similar to his last visit in 2019. Following his arrival, Xi and Kim are anticipated to travel through streets likely filled with welcoming crowds, leading to a ceremony at Kim Il Sung Square. The visit's agenda includes discussions on economic relations and Korean Peninsula issues, alongside potential coordination strategies involving Pyongyang, Beijing, and Moscow.
Preparations for Xi's visit are evident across Pyongyang, with streets adorned with portraits of Xi and flags of both nations. Banners celebrating the longstanding friendship between China and North Korea are prominently displayed throughout the capital. China's Xinhua News Agency revealed that a group of reporters traveled to Pyongyang from Dandong in China's Liaoning Province via a train service that resumed earlier this year.
Xi's previous visit to Pyongyang occurred on June 20-21, 2019, marking his inaugural state visit to North Korea since assuming office in late 2012. The two leaders last convened in September when Kim traveled to Beijing for China's Victory Day celebrations, participating alongside Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in a military parade.
Kim Jong-un has visited Beijing five times to meet Xi since succeeding his father, Kim Jong-il, in December 2011. The upcoming visit holds symbolic significance as it coincides with the 65th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between Pyongyang and Beijing, providing an opportunity to strengthen their alliance and deepen economic ties.
The visit also occurs against the backdrop of burgeoning relations between Pyongyang and Moscow. Recently, North Korean troops participated alongside Russian forces in Moscow's Victory Day parade, commemorating the Soviet Union's World War II victory over Germany. Despite Xi's impending visit, Pyongyang has maintained its military posture. On Sunday, Kim's sister, Kim Yo-Jong, declared the nation's nuclear status as irreversible, describing it as a "line of no retreat."
Last week, Kim Jong-un inspected a newly launched nuclear materials production facility, committing to significantly expand the country's arsenal. Additionally, he oversaw a naval destroyer's navigation test, emphasizing the need to bolster North Korea's nuclear deterrent.
For Beijing, this visit presents an opportunity to reaffirm its influence over the Korean Peninsula. It follows Xi's meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin in Beijing last month and his participation at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea in October. In this context, Xi is expected to arrive in Pyongyang with a clearer understanding of the major powers' positions on Korean Peninsula affairs, potentially paving the way to resume stalled diplomacy involving Pyongyang, Washington, and Seoul.