Xi arrives in North Korea to meet Kim amid scrutiny of nuclear buildup

Chinese President Xi Jinping was welcomed to Pyongyang airport on Monday morning by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, on a red carpet flanked by an honour guard. Xi's first visit since 2019 follows tightened U.S.-South Korea exercise schedules in the region and renewed activity at North Korea's nuclear test sites as seen in commercial satellite imagery.

Xinhua said the agenda for the bilateral talks covers economic cooperation, cross-border trade and regional stability. According to a Wall Street Journal report citing a White House official, Washington is hoping Beijing will use its leverage over Pyongyang to secure a commitment to halt further nuclear testing.

Seoul's Unification Ministry said it was closely watching the "indirect implications for the peninsula's security dynamic." Tokyo's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the trip required "responsible steps" for Asia-Pacific stability, while an additional UN Security Council session on the next review of the Korea sanctions regime has been put on the agenda.