China announced on Friday that President Xi Jinping will travel to North Korea for a two-day visit beginning June 8. This marks his first such trip in almost seven years, as Beijing aims to revive close relations with its sole formal treaty ally in Pyongyang.

Beijing has sought to reconnect with Pyongyang following the COVID-19 pandemic, which halted most exchanges. Kim Jong Un has meanwhile built stronger bonds with Moscow through troop and weapon shipments to back Russia's actions in Ukraine.

John Delury of the Asia Society noted that the Chinese message underscores their role as the main player on North Korea issues, with Russia as one intended audience.

The announcement from the Chinese Communist Party's international department follows Xi's recent meetings in Beijing with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

State media KCNA reported that Kim extended the invitation to Xi for the visit.

Kim attended a large military parade in Beijing last September, arriving via his usual green armored train. Train services between the two capitals restarted in March after a six-year pause due to the pandemic, and Air China has resumed flights as well.

Travel remains restricted mostly to business visitors and students, as Chinese tourists are still not permitted.

Xi's Initial Foreign Journey in 2026

This Pyongyang visit represents Xi's first overseas engagement of the year. The 72-year-old leader, who travels abroad less frequently, last went internationally in late October to South Korea, where he also met Trump.

Delury observed that the trip holds symbolic value for Xi to monitor developments in Pyongyang, and visiting both Koreas within a year would mark a notable achievement for the region.

He added that China maintains a preference for balanced engagement with the two Koreas.

Trump, who met Kim three times during his prior term, has indicated willingness to meet the North Korean leader again.

Since taking power in 2012, Xi has visited North Korea once and South Korea twice. He also went to Pyongyang in 2008 as vice president to meet Kim Jong Il.

Kim this week urged an exponential increase in the country's nuclear stockpile during a tour of a new facility for producing nuclear material, according to KCNA.

Kim Urges Faster Nuclear Growth After Plant Inspection

During his inspection of a newly operational nuclear material factory, Kim called for exponential expansion of the atomic arsenal, KCNA reported on Thursday. He noted that weapons-grade material output has more than doubled in five years and directed officials to boost production further to achieve long-term aims.

Kim received updates on advanced production methods and reviewed current targets along with future plans.

State media images showed Kim among rows of cylindrical equipment at the site, which analysts suggest may be part of the main Yongbyon nuclear complex.

Kim described the buildup as essential amid heightened security risks and ongoing standoff with what he termed the fiercest adversaries, while confirming the policy of strengthening nuclear deterrence.

KCNA added that a key meeting on nuclear forces occurred the same day, where Kim provided directions to speed up both quality and quantity improvements in the arsenal.

The country has mapped out steps for an ambitious plan to grow nuclear capabilities at an exponential pace, KCNA quoted Kim as stating. He called it a historic step marking major progress in nuclear strength.

The facility unveiled is a uranium enrichment plant, per an official from South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Satellite photos from last year by expert Jeffrey Lewis pinpointed a likely spot for the Yongbyon plant, featuring a large central hall roughly 95 meters long and 24 meters wide, plus support areas. Recent images from May show the area around the site has been paved.

Analysts view Kim's visit as a move to strengthen North Korea's position ahead of possible diplomacy while supporting faster nuclear development.

Chad O'Carroll of NK News suggested the timing ties to a potential Xi visit to Pyongyang, similar to how Kim reviewed a new missile plan before his September 2025 Beijing trip.

O'Carroll said the intent appears to show that denuclearization remains off the table just before engagement with China.

Professor Lim Eul-chul at Kyungnam University linked the visit to South Korea's nuclear submarine plans and uranium talks with Washington, which Pyongyang may cite to justify quicker weapons growth.

Lim noted that even without South Korean action, the North will proceed on its path, using such events as justification for larger-scale buildup.

International estimates place North Korea's nuclear warheads at around 50, though the country has not confirmed its stockpile size.