Xi Jinping promises stronger ties to North Korea as official visit comes to an end

Apparently, the two did not at any point discuss denuclearisation, which is said to be a win for North Korea.
Text: Magnus Groth-Andersen
Published 2026-06-09

Chinese President Xi Jinping is wrapping up his two-day visit to North Korea, his first since 2019. It's been two days filled to the brim with everything from red-carpet shows to advanced acrobatic performances, obviously in an effort to impress.

As the BBC reports, it seems that no actual deals have been made between the two parties, yet Xi did describe the two countries during a banquet to be "linked by mountains and rivers and share a common destiny".

The two also confirmed to attending media at a press briefing, that they've reached an important "consensus", that being that the two must "grasp the trend of the times". With this, it's believed that the two powers will solidify their ties going forward.

While China is North Korea's biggest economic benefactor, analysts have noted that there seemed to be no discussion of denuclearisation, a topic which has previously been debated between the two.

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