Dandong:North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited China, pledging to enhance the long-standing relationship between the two nations, as reported by state media on Sunday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim's surprise visit to the Chinese border city of Dandong included a meeting with Wang Huning, China's fourth-highest-ranking official and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. The visit was Kim's first known trip to China since September 2025 and marked his sixth visit since taking power in 2011.

During the visit, Kim paid homage at a war memorial dedicated to Chinese soldiers who participated in the Korean War and attended a banquet hosted by Wang Huning. The visit also included a tour of a bus factory in Dandong. Wang conveyed greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping and emphasized the importance of preserving and developing the countries' traditional friendship.

Kim returned to North Korea via the New Amnok River Bridge, which connects North Korea's Sinuiju with China's Dandong. The bridge opened earlier this month after a decade-long delay since its completion in 2014. Kim expressed hope that the bridge would strengthen ties between the two countries.

The visit comes amid efforts by Pyongyang to reinforce its relationship with Beijing, following a period of cooled bilateral ties as North Korea deepened its alignment with Russia. China remains a crucial economic partner and diplomatic ally to North Korea. The visit also precedes the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China next month, which U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to attend.

Despite Kim's trip, no discussions on regional security or renewed diplomacy with Washington were reported. Experts suggest that Kim's visit could be an attempt to leverage potential negotiations with the United States, although a meeting with Xi Jinping did not occur.