Xi Jinping To Visit North Korea Next Week In Rare State Trip After Hosting Trump And Putin

by HEDNEWS on June 5, 2026

Xi Jinping to Visit North Korea Next Week in Rare State Trip After Hosting Trump and Putin Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to travel to North Korea next week for a rare state visit, marking his first trip to Pyongyang in nearly seven years and coming just weeks after he hosted US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in separate high-profile diplomatic meetings. Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit North Korea from Monday to Tuesday following an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to announcements from both governments. The visit is expected to focus on strengthening bilateral relations, regional stability, and coordination on strategic issues in Northeast Asia.

The trip is particularly significant as it marks Xi’s first visit to North Korea since 2019, when he last met Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang during a period of renewed diplomatic engagement between the two countries.Analysts say the timing of the visit highlights China’s effort to reassert its influence over North Korea, especially as Pyongyang has deepened its military and political alignment with Russia in recent years. North Korea has reportedly expanded cooperation with Moscow, including support linked to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, raising concerns in Washington and allied capitals. Xi’s diplomatic schedule has drawn global attention, as the North Korea visit follows a series of meetings in Beijing with major world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The sequence underscores China’s increasingly active role in balancing relationships among rival global powers. Observers believe Beijing is seeking to strengthen its position as a key mediator on the Korean Peninsula while also discouraging North Korea from becoming overly dependent on Russia. The visit may also touch on long-standing issues such as North Korea’s nuclear programme, which remains under international sanctions. Although China remains North Korea’s closest economic and diplomatic partner, relations have fluctuated in recent years due to sanctions pressure, the COVID-19 pandemic, and shifting geopolitical alliances in the region. The resumption of high-level visits is seen as part of broader efforts to restore regular diplomatic engagement between the two neighbours.

Xi Jinping will visit North Korea next week for a two-day state visit.
It is his first visit to Pyongyang since 2019.
The trip follows recent meetings with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
China aims to reinforce influence over North Korea amid growing Russia–North Korea ties.
Discussions are expected to include regional security and nuclear concerns.
Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to North Korea signals a renewed phase of high-level diplomacy in Northeast Asia, with Beijing positioning itself as a central player in managing regional tensions and balancing shifting alliances among Pyongyang, Moscow, and Washington.