Xi Visits the DPRK: Expectations vs Reality

On June 8-9, 2026, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping paid a state visit to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The visit was intended to strengthen cooperation between Beijing and Pyongyang.

However, Kim Jong Un took a defensive stance in advance. Shortly before Xi Jinping’s visit, he toured a nuclear materials production facility and pledged to significantly expand the country’s nuclear arsenal. At the same time, “first sister” Kim Yo Jong stated that North Korea’s nuclear status is a “red line that cannot be crossed,” making it clear that Pyongyang has no intention of discussing this issue, let alone abandoning its nuclear weapons.

There were also the traditional concerns from Western observers regarding China’s cooperation with Moscow. Speculation arose that Beijing would demand its cessation or seek ways to compensate for its influence. There were also suggestions that China would encourage Pyongyang to engage in dialogue with the United States. It was believed that such dialogue could weaken ties between North Korea and Russia without leading to direct confrontation with China. It was emphasized that the interests of Beijing and the concerns of Seoul coincide to a greater extent than the parties publicly acknowledge.

ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Park Il confirmed that Seoul will continue to unwaveringly uphold the goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. In turn, China has repeatedly reaffirmed the consistency of its position on Korean Peninsula issues, noting that the United States and China confirmed during their summit last month that the denuclearization of North Korea is a common goal.

President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping visited Pyongyang, emphasizing the importance of strengthening ties between China and North Korea amid a changing world order. The previous meeting between the two leaders took place in September of last year, when Kim Jong Un visited Beijing to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

On the eve of his visit, Xi Jinping published an article in North Korea’s main newspaper, Rodong Sinmun. The Chinese president called for closer strategic interaction and joint efforts to maintain the international order.

On June 8, Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan and a high-level delegation. The delegation included senior officials such as Cai Qi, the first secretary of the CPC Central Committee Secretariat; Foreign Minister Wang Yi; Liu Haixing, head of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee; Tang Fangyu, head of the Central Political Research Office of........

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