Xi’s Summit with Kim: Views from the Neighborhood

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By keeping neighbors guessing about his intentions and avoiding any concessions, it is Kim who appears to have gained the most from the Chinese leader’s visit.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping walk together following a concert welcoming the Chinese leader at a gymnasium in Pyongyang, North Korea.

Xi Jinping’s first visit to Pyongyang since 2019 – and his first overseas trip in 2026 – resulted in more speculation than results. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hailed the relationship with China as “solid” and Xi spoke of taking China-North Korea ties to “new heights.” What this means concretely depends on the eye of the beholder. Media coverage across Pyongyang, Beijing, Moscow, and Seoul show the different concerns and hopes each of these countries has invested in the Xi-Kim summit.

No “No Nukes”