Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit North Korea for a two-day state visit starting this Monday, June 8, 2026.
This trip, at the invitation of leader Kim Jong Un, marks Xi’s first visit to Pyongyang in nearly seven years and his first official overseas journey this year.
The visit comes as Beijing seeks to reassert its influence over its only formal treaty ally which has recently strengthened ties with Russia.
Analysts view the meeting as a strategic move to ensure North Korea remains within China’s diplomatic orbit rather than drifting entirely toward Moscow.
Expert Lim Eul-chul noted:
“China is meeting leaders from around the world, coordinating positions and playing a mediating role,” adding that “China’s international standing rises, Beijing is likely seeking to draw Pyongyang more actively into its diplomatic orbit as a partner in advancing a more multilateral order.”
While North Korea relies heavily on China for trade, the country has increasingly relied on Russia for military and economic support.
By choosing Pyongyang for his first international trip of 2026, experts believe Xi is sending a clear message.
Researcher Seong-Hyon Lee described the visit as “a deliberate visual rebuttal to the prevailing read in Western capitals that Pyongyang had quietly migrated into Moscow’s orbit.”
