Xi Jinping to Visit North Korea as China Deepens Alliance With Kim Jong Un Amid Trump Diplomacy Speculation

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to make a rare state visit to North Korea next week, signaling a renewed push by Beijing to strengthen ties with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a time of rising geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Russia and the Korean Peninsula.

Chinese state media announced on Friday that Xi will arrive in Pyongyang on Monday for a two-day visit. It will mark his first trip to North Korea since 2019 and his first foreign trip of 2026.

The visit comes just weeks after Xi separately hosted Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Beijing, reinforcing China’s position at the center of several major global power conversations.

Xi and Kim last met publicly in September during a large military parade in Beijing, where the North Korean leader joined other international guests, including Putin. The event was widely viewed as a show of unity among leaders challenging Western influence.

Analysts believe the upcoming visit could also fuel speculation about China’s role in any future talks between Washington and Pyongyang. Trump, who met Kim three times during his first term, has repeatedly hinted at restarting diplomacy with North Korea over its nuclear weapons program.

The Korean Peninsula was reportedly among the issues discussed during Trump’s visit to Beijing in May. A White House statement afterward said both Trump and Xi shared the goal of denuclearizing North Korea, although Pyongyang has consistently rejected outside pressure over its weapons ambitions.

This week, Kim inspected a facility producing weapons-grade nuclear material and declared that North Korea would expand its nuclear forces “at an exponential rate,” according to state media reports. The comments further raised tensions across the region.

Despite international sanctions, China remains North Korea’s biggest economic and diplomatic supporter. Beijing accounts for most of Pyongyang’s foreign trade and continues to play a critical role in keeping the isolated country economically afloat.

Chinese officials insist that exchanges between Beijing and Pyongyang are aimed at promoting regional stability. However, Xi’s visit is expected to carry broader strategic implications as global powers compete for influence across Asia and beyond.