Chinese state media is emphasizing the friendly relations between China and North Korea ahead of President Xi Jinping's state visit to North Korea scheduled for June 8-9.
On June 5, shortly after the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China announced Xi's itinerary, Xinhua News published an article and a one-minute video recalling Xi's first state visit to North Korea in 2019.
The report highlighted Xi's metaphor of the China-North Korea relationship as a "towering tree," stating, "Despite the changes of time and fluctuations in the international situation, the friendship between China and North Korea remains strong and becomes even more solid over time." Xi also expressed a strong sense of kinship, saying, "Wherever I go, I feel that China and North Korea are one family."
The People's Daily, the official newspaper of the Communist Party, shared the visit video on its official Weibo account, noting, "An unprecedented scene unfolded as hundreds of thousands of North Koreans took to the streets to welcome President Xi," which it described as a testament to the enduring friendship between the two nations.
Comments on the post included phrases like "Long live China-North Korea friendship," and news of Xi's upcoming visit trended as the top search on Baidu, China's largest search engine, on the morning of June 5.
The International Liaison Department announced that Xi would visit North Korea at the invitation of Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and Supreme Leader of North Korea. Specific details of the visit have not been disclosed.
This will be Xi's second visit to North Korea since taking office. He previously visited in June 2019 and last met Kim in September 2022 during a Victory Day celebration in Beijing.
The choice of North Korea as Xi's first overseas destination this year is seen as highly symbolic. The visit comes just weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in Beijing.
The South China Morning Post reported that Xi's visit aims to showcase the strong ties between China and North Korea, noting that the two countries are cautiously restoring their relationship after a period of estrangement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea's dissatisfaction with China's stance on denuclearization, and concerns over expanding military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.
This year marks the 65th anniversary of the China-North Korea Mutual Aid and Cooperation Treaty, and the two countries have been gradually resuming exchanges. In April, Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party and Foreign Minister, visited North Korea, where Kim expressed his willingness to strengthen high-level exchanges and enhance strategic communication with China.
Experts suggest that given the diplomatic significance of Xi's first overseas trip, this visit may carry a strategic message that goes beyond merely managing China-North Korea relations or mediating the resumption of U.S.-North Korea dialogue.
The Singapore-based Lianhe Zaobao analyzed that through Xi's visit to North Korea following the recent visits by U.S. and Russian leaders, China aims to demonstrate its continued influence on the Korean Peninsula to neighboring countries, including the U.S., Russia, South Korea, and Japan.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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