‘As close as lips and teeth’: The highs and lows of China-North Korea ties
Key takeaways
- Chinese President Xi has been welcomed in Pyongyang for the first visit since 2019.
- “Long Live the Unbreakable Friendship and Unity between North Korea and China,” one banner read, according to Chinese news outlet Xinhua.
- Xi’s first visit to North Korea since 2019 comes as both governments are seeking to reaffirm a relationship that has survived famine, nuclear tensions, diplomatic strain and a shifting global order.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Chinese President Xi has been welcomed in Pyongyang for the first visit since 2019.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Chinese President Xi Jinping and Democratic People's Republic of Korea leader Kim Jong Un at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, September 4, 2025 [China Daily via Reuters]By Caolán Magee Published On 9 Jun 20269 Jun 2026Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday to the full theatre of North Korean state ceremony, with flags, flowers, military honours and crowds to welcome the leader of the country that has long been one of North Korea’s closest allies.
Kim Jong Un and his wife, Ri Sol Ju, greeted Xi and wife, Peng Liyuan, at Pyongyang’s international airport before the Chinese leader was taken to the capital’s main square, where portraits of Xi and Kim looked out over the choreographed display of friendship.