Read The Diplomat, Know The Asia-Pacific
The Xi administration has been slow to adapt to its ally’s developments, and this summit represented an attempt to reset relations.
From June 8-9, 2026, Chinese leader Xi Jinping made his first state visit to North Korea in seven years. Both governments highlighted the enduring strength of bilateral ties, yet the rhetoric from the engagement masked years of political stagnation and strategic drift in the relationship since Xi’s last trip to Pyongyang in 2019. The Kim Jong Un regime’s self-imposed COVID isolation gave way to deliberate steps toward deepening ties with the Kremlin rather than Beijing. The summit, then, was a key indicator of the current state of play in ties between China and North Korea.
While many outside observers watched intently for notable signs of strategic realignment, the visit was devoid of the substance seen in other summit-level events that North Korea has hosted in recent years.
Ultimately, Xi’s state visit was largely a pro forma exercise intended to re-establish a baseline for engagement rather than to break new ground in Sino-North Korean relations. Observers can expect the two governments to proceed with working level meetings in various sectors (e.g., trade, tourism, science, sports, etc.), while the biggest question remains whether the two governments will actually take steps to increase military cooperation.
