Desk Report – Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang on Monday morning for a landmark two-day state visit, marking his first trip to the isolated nation since 2019, state media reported.
Upon arrival, President Xi was greeted with an elaborate red-carpet welcome by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his wife, Ri Sol Ju.
Footage broadcast by state television showed Kim and Ri smiling warmly as they received the Chinese president. A red carpet lined the tarmac at the airport, where North Korean troops stood in formation to offer a formal guard of honor.
China’s state-run news agency, Xinhua, reported that Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un shared a warm handshake and exchanged pleasantries. During the welcome ceremony, North Korean children presented bouquets of flowers to President Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan.
Official media from both nations have yet to release a detailed agenda or the core topics of the upcoming bilateral summit, keeping the official talking points under wraps.
Prior to his departure, Xi published a signed op-ed in North Korea’s official state newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, describing the relationship between Beijing and Pyongyang as a “combat friendship forged in blood.”
He noted that the deep trust and cooperation between the two nations’ parties, governments, and militaries have stood the test of time and continue to strengthen despite a rapidly changing international landscape.
Xi added that China and North Korea would continue to communicate regularly “like relatives” to elevate their strategic partnership to new heights from a “new historical starting point.”
Analysts emphasize that the visit comes at a time of heightened complexity regarding the security and diplomatic dynamics of the Korean Peninsula, involving the United States, South Korea, North Korea, and China. Beijing has long remained Pyongyang’s most crucial strategic and economic ally.
South Korean officials expressed cautious optimism, hoping that Xi’s diplomatic engagement might encourage Pyongyang to return to stalled denuclearization and security talks with Seoul and Washington. However, many independent observers believe the prospects for such a breakthrough remain limited.
According to geopolitical experts, the high-profile red-carpet reception, military parade, and the “eternal friendship” messaging broadcast across state media highlight the enduring strategic alignment between Beijing and Pyongyang.