On the eve of Xi Jinping's visit, North Korea asserts that it will never renounce nuclear weapons.

North Korea reaffirmed its status as a nuclear power ahead of the Chinese president's visit Xi Jinpingscheduled for Monday. In a statement relayed by state media, Kim Yo Jong asserted that Pyongyang would never renounce its nuclear arsenal and that no external pressure would change this position.

This stance comes as Xi Jinping is set to make his first visit to North Korea in nearly seven years. This trip is considered a significant moment for relations between Beijing and Pyongyang, as China remains the North Korean regime's main political and economic ally.

Kim Yo Jong rejected US claims that the Chinese and American leaders reaffirmed their goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula at a summit in May. She called the reports "false" and asserted that she had the most accurate information regarding the discussions between the two powers.

According to her, Kim Jong Un's nuclear deterrence strategy is an "irreversible and definitive" course of action. She emphasized that this policy must be implemented unconditionally to guarantee the country's security against what Pyongyang considers external threats.

This statement is part of a series of recent military announcements. Earlier this week, North Korea inaugurated a new nuclear materials production facility. At the event, Kim Jong Un called for an "exponential" increase in the country's nuclear capabilities.

Several analysts believe that this new uranium enrichment site could strengthen Pyongyang's negotiating position ahead of upcoming diplomatic talks. Xi Jinping's visit should allow the two countries to demonstrate their strategic rapprochement amid persistent tensions with the United States and its allies in Asia.

While the international community continues to call for a resumption of denuclearization efforts, Kim Yo Jong's statements show that the North Korean regime intends instead to further consolidate its nuclear program, considered a central element of its defense strategy and regional influence.