Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to make a rare visit to North Korea next week, as announced by China’s state media Xinhua. This visit, starting on Monday, will be Xi’s first trip to North Korea since 2019. It comes shortly after he hosted U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing for separate meetings.

Strengthening Ties with North Korea

During the two-day state visit, Xi will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. This visit is seen as an effort by Beijing to strengthen its historically complex relationship with North Korea, which has experienced some cooling in recent years. The North Korean state-run KCNA news agency has also confirmed the upcoming visit.

This trip marks Xi’s first overseas visit of the year and highlights China’s ongoing diplomatic efforts in the region. The meetings with Trump and Putin, followed by this visit to North Korea, underscore China’s strategic positioning in global affairs.

Xi’s visit is expected to focus on enhancing bilateral relations and discussing regional security issues, given the geopolitical significance of North Korea in East Asian politics. The visit also reflects China’s interest in maintaining stability and influence in the Korean Peninsula.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.