Rare Visit to a Close Ally: Xi to Be Hosted by Kim After Seven Years

Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to make a two-day visit to North Korea next week, according to Chinese state media on Friday.

China Central Television (CCTV) reported: “At the invitation of Kim Jong-un, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and President of China, will pay a state visit to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea from June 8 to June 9.”

Beijing remains a vital source of support for Pyongyang, which is subject to severe international sanctions that have made it one of the most isolated countries in the world.

Despite the close ties between the two nations, visits by Chinese presidents to North Korea remain relatively uncommon.

Xi last visited Pyongyang in 2019, marking the first visit by a Chinese leader since Hu Jintao’s trip in 2005.

Last September, Xi warmly welcomed Kim to Beijing after inviting him, alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, as a guest of honor at a military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan in World War II.

North Korea’s state news agency also confirmed the visit without providing further details.

The announcement comes after South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, citing a senior government official, reported that Xi was planning to visit Pyongyang amid indications that preparatory activities were already underway inside North Korea.

Last month, a similarly rare summit brought together Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump in Beijing. During the meeting, the two leaders discussed several issues, including North Korea’s nuclear program.

According to the South Korean report, Xi may seek to play the role of mediator between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in an effort to revive stalled channels of dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang.