Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday for his first state visit to North Korea in seven years, a carefully choreographed affair aimed at reasserting Beijing's leverage over its historically dependent neighbour. Amid red-carpet ceremonies and mass displays of friendship, Xi vowed to lift bilateral ties to “new heights,” signalling China's intent to counterbalance North Korea's recent drift toward Moscow.
Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, were greeted at Pyongyang's international airport by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. State media images showed a military honour guard, cheering crowds, and streets lined with flags of both nations. Later, at the capital's main square, thousands of spectators—including children carrying balloons—welcomed the Chinese delegation under giant portraits of the two leaders.
The visit underscores a delicate geopolitical recalibration. North Korea has historically relied on China for economic and diplomatic support, but in recent years Kim has strengthened ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, including sending troops to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. Xi's trip appears designed to remind Pyongyang of Beijing's enduring importance, even as Kim seeks greater international legitimacy for his nuclear programme.
Strategic Messaging and Omitted Topics
Notably absent from official Chinese and North Korean dispatches was any mention of denuclearisation. In 2019, during his last visit to Pyongyang, Xi had publicly offered China's constructive role in ridding the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons. This time, state broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi expressing willingness to expand cooperation in trade, agriculture, construction, and technology, while stressing the need to “firmly safeguard respective sovereignty and security interests.”
Kim, for his part, called Xi “the greatest state guest” and affirmed that the bilateral friendship remains “the most important top-priority strategic work,” according to the Korean Central News Agency. The omission of nuclear talks is a win for Kim, who seeks international recognition as a nuclear weapons state and an end to UN sanctions.
The visit comes just weeks after Xi held talks with US President Donald Trump in Beijing, where both leaders reiterated their “shared goal to denuclearise North Korea,” according to the White House. Restoring exclusive influence over Pyongyang would give Xi leverage in future negotiations with Washington, especially as Trump has expressed interest in restarting diplomacy with Kim.
For European observers, the Xi-Kim summit highlights the shifting alliances on Europe's eastern periphery. As North Korea deepens its military partnership with Russia, the EU faces a more complex security environment. The bloc has maintained sanctions on Pyongyang over its nuclear programme, but Moscow's growing role complicates enforcement. The visit also comes amid broader EU-China tensions, with European People's Party chief Manfred Weber recently warning that Brussels must act decisively to prevent Chinese industrial policy from crippling European industry.
While the lavish welcome in Pyongyang projected unity, the underlying tensions remain. North Korea's nuclear ambitions have long been a thorn in its relationship with China, and Xi's decision to avoid the subject publicly suggests Beijing is prioritising short-term influence over long-term denuclearisation goals. For Kim, the visit provides a platform to showcase international legitimacy, even as his country remains under UN sanctions.
The trip also carries implications for European travel and cultural exchanges. North Korea's isolation means few Europeans visit, but the rare summit drew attention from global media. Meanwhile, in a separate development, the first underwater video of a great white shark in the Mediterranean was captured during a ghost net cleanup, highlighting Europe's ongoing environmental challenges.
