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Xi, Kim Pledge Closer China-North Korea Ties During Pyongyang Meeting

Published: Jun. 8, 2026 11:03 p.m. GMT+8

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Xi Jinping holds talks with Kim Jong Un at the Kumsusan State Guest House in Pyongyang on the afternoon of June 8. Photo: Xinhua

Chinese President Xi Jinping met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang on Monday afternoon, laying out a four-point framework to deepen strategic and economic ties between the two longtime allies.

The meeting, held at the Kumsusan State Guest House in the North Korean capital, marked Xi’s first visit to Pyongyang in seven years. It comes as Beijing and Pyongyang seek to reinforce their traditional alliance amid what China has described as accelerating changes in the global landscape.

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Xi Jinping proposed a four-point framework in Pyongyang to deepen China-North Korea strategic and economic ties.
Priorities include strategic communication, trade alignment, cultural exchanges, and coordinated defense of sovereignty.
Kim Jong Un pledged support for China's core policies and called ties North Korea's “top strategic priority.”

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What Happened When

As of 2026：: Kim said Xi’s decision to make Pyongyang his first foreign destination of the year 2026 showed the importance Beijing attaches to the bilateral relationship.

Before Monday, June 8, 2026：: Xi’s visit to Pyongyang was his first in seven years.

Monday, June 8, 2026：: Chinese President Xi Jinping met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, laying out a four-point framework to deepen strategic and economic ties.

By 2026：: Xi noted that 2026 marks the 65th anniversary of the signing of the China-North Korea Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance.

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