Xi Jinping received with great fanfare by Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang

The Chinese president Xi Jinping Xi Jinping was welcomed with unusual pomp in Pyongyang on Monday by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, accompanied by his wife Ri Sol-ju. This two-day visit marks the Chinese head of state's return to North Korea after a seven-year absence, the last one dating back to 2019. Xi Jinping, who arrived with his wife Peng Liyuan, was treated to a lavish official reception orchestrated by the Pyongyang regime, demonstrating the importance attached to this summit meeting.

A reaffirmed Sino-North Korean friendship

Beijing used this diplomatic trip to tout an "invincible" friendship between the two countries. The Chinese president reportedly expressed a "special feeling of closeness" with his North Korean counterpart. China remains a crucial diplomatic, economic, and political ally for North Korea, especially as the regime faces numerous international UN sanctions due to its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. This bilateral relationship, however, is taking place within a new geopolitical context.

Pyongyang torn between Beijing and Moscow

The visit comes as Kim Jong-un has moved significantly closer to Moscow in recent months. Pyongyang has notably sent troops to support Russian forces in the Ukrainian conflict, while firmly maintaining its course toward its nuclear program. This shift in regional alliances gives the Sino-North Korean meeting a particular strategic dimension, as China clearly seeks to preserve its influence with a neighbor increasingly aligned with Russia.