Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to embark on a state visit to North Korea next week, marking his first trip to the country since 2019. The visit, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, was confirmed by North Korea's state media, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), and comes at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

According to Yonhap News Agency, this visit underscores the ongoing efforts by China and North Korea to strengthen bilateral ties. A spokesperson from the international department of China's ruling party's central committee also confirmed the trip, highlighting its significance in reaffirming China's influence on the Korean Peninsula. This visit will be Xi's first to North Korea in nearly seven years, with his last trip to Pyongyang occurring in June 2019.

During his previous visit, Xi held summit talks with Kim Jong-un, reinforcing the diplomatic relationship between the two nations. The upcoming visit follows a meeting between the two leaders in Beijing in September, which was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, coinciding with China's Victory Day celebrations.

Kim Jong-un has visited Beijing five times since assuming power in late 2011, after the death of his father, Kim Jong-il. The timing of Xi's visit coincides with deepening military ties between North Korea and Russia, highlighted by North Korean troops' participation in Moscow's Victory Day parade last month.

The visit also comes during the 65th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance between China and North Korea, providing an opportunity for both nations to reaffirm their alliance. Moreover, with Xi's recent meetings with global leaders such as U.S. President Donald Trump and President Putin, the visit to Pyongyang may provide a platform to potentially reinvigorate stalled diplomatic efforts involving the Korean Peninsula, Washington, and Seoul.