Chinese President Xi Jinping has begun a two-day state visit to North Korea. The trip comes amid increased contacts between Beijing and Pyongyang and marks the first visit by a Chinese leader to North Korea in the last six years.
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday for a state visit that will last two days. The plane carrying the Chinese delegation landed in the capital of North Korea, Chinese state media reported.
The visit comes amid the ongoing strategic partnership between Beijing and Pyongyang. China remains North Korea's main diplomatic and political ally, which continues to face strict international sanctions.
Despite the traditionally close ties between the two countries, personal visits by Chinese leaders to North Korea are rare. The last time Xi Jinping visited North Korea was in the summer of 2019.
At that time, it was the first visit by a Chinese head of state to Pyongyang in 14 years. Before Xi, the last Chinese leader to visit North Korea was Hu Jintao in 2005.
What is important to know: such visits are seen as an important political signal. They demonstrate the level of relations between the two countries and are usually accompanied by discussions on security, economic, and regional policy issues.
In recent years, there has been an increase in contacts between Beijing and Pyongyang. In September of last year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited China, where he participated in events marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also attended the same event, drawing international attention to the interactions between China, North Korea, and Russia.
Although the official agenda of the current visit has not yet been disclosed in detail, it is expected that the parties will discuss the development of bilateral relations and the situation in the region.
Xi Jinping's trip confirms that China continues to play a key role in providing foreign policy support to North Korea and remains its most important international partner.
