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Less friendship, more influence: Why is Xi Jinping in North Korea?

2026-06-09 17:55:17Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Less friendship, more influence: Why is Xi Jinping in North Korea?

For Chinese leader Xi Jinping, North Korea is the neighbor that China cannot control, but that it must not lose either.

Both sides often describe their relationship as one "forged in blood," a reference to the Korean War.

However, in recent years, distrust has strained ties. And now Beijing is trying to reassert influence over a strategically important but deeply unpredictable partner.

China wants stability on its border and influence over Pyongyang, but without getting bogged down in crises caused by North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

So Xi's visit this week – he arrived in Pyongyang on Monday – is likely less about friendship, more about influence.

Seoul believes it can try to position China as a mediator between North Korea and the United States, but Beijing may have other motives.

Western diplomatic sources tell the BBC that China has become increasingly concerned about the growing partnership between Pyongyang and Moscow.

After meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin last week, Xi may want to make sure he also keeps North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in check, especially as Beijing increases its presence on the global stage.

A new chapter in bilateral relations

President Xi, on his first visit to North Korea in seven years, expressed willingness to advance relations between the two countries, while the two leaders pledged to strengthen strategic communication through more frequent exchanges of delegations and senior officials, the state news agency KCNA reported.

President Kim Jong Un reaffirmed Pyongyang's full support for the "One China" principle, declaring that North Korea will stand by Beijing despite changes in the international situation.

Analysts believe that this stance constitutes a clear signal of political solidarity between the two traditional allies, especially in a period of ongoing tensions between China and the West regarding the Taiwan issue.

On the other hand, Chinese media emphasized practical cooperation in trade, agriculture, transport, and tourism, indicating Beijing's interest in strengthening economic ties with the neighboring country.

However, the way the summit was covered by the media in both countries also highlighted some differences in priorities. While China emphasized concrete cooperation projects and state-to-state exchanges, North Korea focused on the “equal” character of the relationship and the historical importance of the friendship between the two countries.

According to experts, Pyongyang seeks to avoid the perception that it depends on China, by presenting itself as a partner of equal weight in relation to the second largest economic power in the world.

During the visit, Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, attended a concert of Chinese and North Korean patriotic songs alongside Kim Jong Un and his wife, Ri Sol Ju.

Kim also hosted a state banquet for the Chinese delegation, where Xi declared that relations between the two countries had entered a "new historic starting point," on the eve of the 65th anniversary of the China-North Korea friendship treaty.

Of particular note was the lack of any official reference to North Korea's nuclear program or relations with the United States. Although US President Donald Trump has expressed his willingness to resume talks with Kim Jong Un, experts believe that Beijing is more interested in maintaining regional stability and strengthening its influence on the Korean peninsula than in playing the role of mediator in negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang.

China remains North Korea's main trading partner, and many analysts believe that expanding trade and tourism was among the main themes of Xi Jinping's visit to Pyongyang.


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