Beijing is rolling out the red carpet. But this time, it’s on Pyongyang’s soil. Xi Jinping has accepted an invitation for a state visit to North Korea. The trip, confirmed by state media, will be the first by a Chinese president in 14 years. The last was Hu Jintao in 2005.
Timing is everything. This visit comes as Kim Jong Un’s diplomatic gamble with Washington hits a dead end. The Hanoi summit collapsed. No deal. No sanctions relief. The Hermit Kingdom is cornered. And when cornered, it turns to its big brother.
Beijing needs this too. Trump is unpredictable. The trade war is raging. China’s economy is showing cracks. A show of solidarity with Pyongyang is a message to Washington: We have other cards to play. The North Korean nuclear issue is not just an American problem. It’s a Chinese lever.
Expect a carefully choreographed spectacle. Xi will meet Kim. They will exchange pleasantries. They will pledge eternal friendship. But behind the scenes, the real business is survival. North Korea needs food, fuel, and foreign currency. China needs a stable buffer state, not a collapsing neighbour.
There are risks. A too-cozy relationship could spook Seoul and Tokyo. It could give Trump an excuse for tougher tariffs. But Beijing calculates that the benefits outweigh the costs. For now, the Kim-Xi axis is the only game in town.
The visit is unlikely to change the nuclear calculus. North Korea will not give up its weapons. China will not force it. What it will do is reinforce the message: This is our backyard. Deal with it.
Downing Street will be watching closely. The UK has limited leverage, but a united Western front on North Korea is key. If China breaks ranks, the entire sanctions regime unravels. So far, Beijing has played ball. But this visit smells like a pivot.
The real question is what Kim gets in return. A photo op? Or a commitment to rewrite UN resolutions? The smart money is on the former. Xi is too cautious to openly defy the international community. But he will test the limits.
Expect leaks from Whitehall in the coming days. Nervous diplomats will be briefing against the visit. The language will be carefully calibrated: 'deep concern', 'close monitoring', 'dialogue remains the only path'. But behind the scenes, anxiety is high.
This is a power play. Xi is showing he can still command global attention. Kim is showing he still has a patron. The rest of us are left to watch and wait.
One thing is certain: The game has changed. The era of maximum pressure is over. A new phase of cautious engagement is beginning. Hold on tight.
