A summit between the leaders of China and North Korea likely signals a belated thaw in bilateral ties, may be an early indicator of U.S.-North Korea engagement, and will likely yield modestly expanded economic engagement. Chinese and North Korean state media outlets announced on June 5 that Chinese President Xi Jinping would visit Pyongyang, North Korea, at the invitation of leader Kim Jong Un from June 8-9. Neither side noted possible topics of conversation. This comes after a recent uptick in diplomatic activity in Beijing and Pyongyang, including recent bilateral engagement. Kim traveled to Beijing in September to attend a military parade alongside Xi, Kim's first trip to China since January 2019. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also visited Pyongyang in April 2026, presumably to pave the way for Xi's upcoming visit. The visit comes as North Korea's nuclear weapons program continues to develop, with Kim revealing a likely fourth...
