Friday, July 31, 2026

RN

Right News

Foreign Policy

Xi Jinping Touches Down in Pyongyang to Reassert Control Over Rogue State

The Chinese leader's first visit to North Korea in five years signals a desperate bid to maintain influence as Kim Jong Un pivots toward Moscow.

Foreign PolicyPublished June 8, 2026 at 12:18 PM
Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un

Chinese President Xi Jinping has landed in North Korea for his first official visit since 2019, highlighting Beijing's urgent need to reassert authority over a regime that has increasingly looked to Russia for partnership. While the state-run pageantry in Pyongyang attempts to project a facade of alliance, the reality is a calculated power play.

Beijing views North Korea as a strategically vital buffer, yet the erratic nature of the Kim regime has become a liability. As North Korea strengthens its ties with Moscow, Xi is clearly moving to ensure that Pyongyang remains firmly within China's sphere of influence.

This trip is not a celebration of friendship; it is a cold, pragmatic effort by the Chinese Communist Party to maintain leverage over a volatile nuclear-armed state that threatens regional stability.

Tags

foreign-policychinanorth-koreaxi-jinpinggeopolitics

More in Foreign Policy

A Palestinian woman sits amidst debris as people inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a house in Gaza City, 30 July 2026.
Foreign Policy9h ago

Hamas Agrees to Disarmament Framework Under Trump-Backed Peace Initiative

After years of conflict, Hamas has accepted a framework to inventory and store its heavy weapons, a move that could finally clear the path for the Trump-backed peace plan in Gaza.

The MVM Paks Nuclear Power Plant
Foreign Policy20h ago

Danube drought forces shutdown of Hungary's nuclear power grid

Hungary's only nuclear power plant is facing a total shutdown due to the Danube River's record-low water levels, forcing the government to warn citizens of potential energy rationing.

Missile launchers in a square in Iran.
Foreign Policy20h ago

Tehran’s Dangerous Gamble: Why Iran Prefers Perpetual Low-Level Conflict

By keeping the Middle East in a state of constant, limited conflict, the Iranian regime hopes to bypass sanctions and force the world to accept its influence over global shipping lanes.