Chinese President Xi Jinping visited North Korea in June 2026, marking his first foreign trip of the year and his first visit to the country since June 2019. The visit, which lasted two days, was jointly announced by China and North Korea. Xi met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and pledged to strengthen bilateral relations. According to Dawn, Xi described China-North Korea relations as unbreakable and noted that China is North Korea’s main trading partner and key source of diplomatic and economic support. Dawn also reported that North Korean military officers lined a red carpet for Xi’s arrival on June 8, 2026, as reported by Bluesky. North Korea has been increasing its ties with Russia, which may reduce China's influence over North Korea. CNA reported that the visit occurred amid global tensions.