Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit North Korea next week in a move analysts say underscores Beijing’s efforts to strengthen ties with Pyongyang and reinforce its influence in regional diplomacy.
The visit will mark Xi’s first official overseas trip of 2026 and comes shortly after he hosted separate summits with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing last month.
China remains North Korea’s most important political and economic ally, with Pyongyang heavily dependent on Beijing for trade and diplomatic support amid ongoing international sanctions.
According to 2022 data from the National Committee on North Korea, China accounts for up to 95 percent of North Korea’s total trade and about 85 percent of its exports.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Xi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would discuss bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern during the visit.
She described the trip as an opportunity to deepen cooperation and contribute to regional and global peace.
Analysts say the visit also reflects Beijing’s desire to counter perceptions that Pyongyang has shifted closer to Moscow following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
North Korea has strengthened military ties with Russia in recent years, reportedly supplying troops and weapons in support of Moscow’s war effort in exchange for financial aid, military technology, food and energy assistance.
Seong-Hyon Lee of the George H. W. Bush Foundation for US-China Relations described Xi’s decision to make Pyongyang his first overseas destination this year as a deliberate signal that North Korea remains firmly within China’s diplomatic sphere.
Xi last met Kim in September during a military parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, where both Kim and Putin attended as guests of honour.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi also visited Pyongyang in April, calling for closer coordination between both countries on regional and international issues.
Security analysts say Beijing is also closely monitoring North Korea’s rapidly advancing nuclear programme, fearing that escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula could threaten regional stability and undermine China’s strategic interests.
Earlier this week, Kim reportedly pledged an “exponential” expansion of North Korea’s nuclear capabilities during a visit to a new atomic facility, according to state media.
Meanwhile, South Korea said it hopes stronger engagement between Beijing and Pyongyang would contribute to peace and stability in the region, while urging China to play a constructive diplomatic role.
Despite repeated outreach efforts from Seoul, North Korea has continued to reject attempts at reconciliation, describing South Korea as its most hostile adversary.
Analysts also view Xi’s recent diplomatic engagements as part of China’s broader effort to present itself as a stable global power amid growing uncertainty surrounding US foreign policy.