Xi Jinping has arrived in North Korea for a two-day visit, his first in nearly seven years, as the Chinese leader seeks to strengthen ties with his ally. Footage from China’s Xinhua news agency showed an Air China plane carrying Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, landing at Pyongyang’s Sunan international airport. A red carpet with North Korean honor guards welcomed Xi and his group, including foreign minister Wang Yi and Cai Qi. Xi and Peng proceeded to Kim Il-sung Square in central Pyongyang, where they were met by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his wife, Ri Sol-ju. Children offered flowers during a colorful ceremony with a military band playing national anthems and a 21-gun salute. Crowds waved flags, flowers and balloons beside banners reading “We warmly welcome Comrade Xi Jinping” and praising the countries’ “unbreakable friendship”. Kim and Ri then escorted Xi and Peng to the Kumsusan guesthouse. North Korea remains China’s only formal treaty ally, though relations have faced strain from reduced trade during the Covid-19 pandemic and Pyongyang’s growing ties with Russia. Xi’s visit precedes the 65th anniversary of the friendship treaty, China’s sole defence pact with another nation. Chinese and North Korean forces fought together against South Korea in the early 1950s Korean war. In contrast, North Korea and Russia recently signed a mutual defence pact, with Pyongyang sending over 10,000 troops to support Russia in Ukraine. Analyst John Delury noted that North Korean propaganda emphasizes closeness with Russia more than with China. Xi, Kim and Russia’s Vladimir Putin appeared together at a military parade in Beijing last September. Xi has stated that Beijing-Pyongyang ties stand at a “new historical starting point” and called for opposing hegemony and militarism. The trip follows a recent US-China summit where North Korea was discussed. Speculation continues about possible messages between the leaders, though denuclearisation talks have seen little progress recently.
