Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea (June 2026)

Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea is defined as an official state visit by the President of China, Xi Jinping, to Pyongyang in June 2026 aimed at strengthening political diplomatic and strategic relations between the two countries. The visit attracted international attention because it marked the first time since 2019 that a Chinese leader had visited North Korea and occurred amid geopolitical developments involving the United States Russia China and the Korean Peninsula.

Relations between China and North Korea have been shaped since the Korean War era on the basis of traditional friendship and strategic cooperation. In recent years North Korea's nuclear program United Nations sanctions and regional security debates have made the international dimension of the two countries' relations more visible.

Xi Jinping last visited North Korea in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. Following border closures and restrictions on diplomatic contact during the pandemic high level interactions between the two countries began to intensify again.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited China in September 2025 to attend a military parade in Beijing commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Kim appeared alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin at the event and the image of Xi Jinping standing with Putin and Kim was interpreted by the international media as a symbolic message directed at the United States and its allies.

The visit of Chinese Premier Li Qiang to Pyongyang in October 2025 for the 80th anniversary celebrations of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea and the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to North Korea in April 2026 were interpreted as preparatory steps for Xi's visit.

President of China Xi Jinping departed from Beijing in June 2026 for his official visit to Pyongyang the capital of North Korea.

Accompanying Xi on the visit were his wife Peng Liyuan Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Director of the General Office Cai Qi and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his wife Ri Sol-ju welcomed Xi and his delegation at Pyongyang International Airport. An official welcoming ceremony was held at Kim Il-sung Square. The visit was Xi Jinping's first foreign trip of 2026.

During the visit bilateral talks were held between Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un both in private and with their respective delegations.

The talks were expected to cover political relations between the two countries economic cooperation regional security issues and international developments. Xi emphasized during the talks that he was ready to work with Kim to further develop China North Korea relations.

During the visit Xi Jinping stated that China's support for North Korea would continue.

Xi said: "No matter how the international situation changes the value placed by the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government on traditional friendship with North Korea will not change." The Chinese leader also emphasized that the two countries must safeguard each other's sovereignty security and development interests.

Xi stated: "China's determination to preserve its shared interests with North Korea and the strategic environment favorable to both countries will continue." These statements were interpreted as evidence that the Beijing administration continues to view North Korea as a strategic partner and remains committed to sustaining its relationship with Pyongyang.

Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea followed visits by U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to China in May 2026.

Donald Trump visited China from 13 to 15 May 2026 and after the talks the United States side declared that Washington and Beijing shared common objectives regarding the denuclearization of North Korea.

Russian President Vladimir Putin made an official visit to China from 19 to 20 May 2026. In the joint statement issued after the visit China and Russia emphasized their opposition to diplomatic isolation and economic sanctions against North Korea.

Xi's visit to Pyongyang was interpreted as China's initiative to reframe its policy on the Korean Peninsula following these two engagements.

The visit holds importance in terms of security balances on the Korean Peninsula and competition among major powers. While the Chinese government must consider U.S. and South Korean demands to constrain North Korea's nuclear activities it also seeks to preserve the importance of North Korea and Russia within its regional strategy.

For this reason the visit was seen as part of Beijing's effort to manage its relations with Washington while maintaining its strategic partnership with Pyongyang and Moscow.

Following the talks between President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un both sides issued statements emphasizing the strengthening of bilateral relations and the deepening of strategic cooperation.

Xi Jinping stated that preserving the traditional friendship between China and North Korea remains one of the unchanging policies of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government. Xi affirmed that changes in international conditions would not affect this approach and reiterated China's determination to safeguard its shared interests with North Korea and the strategic environment favorable to both countries. He also emphasized that the two countries must jointly defend each other's sovereignty security and development interests.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un noted that Xi's decision to make his first foreign trip of the year to North Korea demonstrated China's high priority on bilateral relations. Kim stated that throughout history China and North Korea have acted together in accordance with the principles of independence and justice and affirmed that the relationship between the two countries has remained resilient despite international developments.

The talks addressed the enhancement of strategic coordination between the two countries the strengthening of cooperation in areas of sovereignty and security the support of development goals and the preservation of regional stability. The parties also exchanged views on international and regional issues and reached agreement on a roadmap for the future of bilateral relations.

Kim reaffirmed that North Korea continues to regard its friendship with China as one of its most important and top-priority strategic tasks while Xi expressed his readiness to work with Kim to further develop relations between the two countries. Xi stated that advancing bilateral relations would contribute to the well-being of both peoples and support regional peace and stability.