North Korea’s Kim Jong Un makes surprise China visit as ties strengthen

Investing.com -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made an unannounced visit to China on Saturday, meeting senior Chinese officials and crossing a newly completed bridge linking the two countries as diplomatic and economic ties deepen.

Kim travelled to Dandong, a Chinese border city that serves as a major gateway for North Korea’s international trade, where he met officials led by Wang Huning, a member of China’s powerful Politburo Standing Committee.

Chinese President Xi Jinping did not attend the meeting.

During the visit, Kim toured a bus manufacturing facility and a museum commemorating Chinese soldiers killed during the 1950-1953 Korean War.

North Korean state media reported Sunday that Kim described the friendship between Beijing and Pyongyang as "invincible" and rooted in their shared wartime history.

The visit highlights improving relations between the neighbouring countries after a period of tensions over North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme.

China has sought to strengthen its influence over Pyongyang as North Korea deepens military and diplomatic cooperation with Russia.

Beijing and Pyongyang have recently restored passenger rail services between their capitals, while bilateral trade has recovered to pre-pandemic levels.

Xi visited North Korea in June, when both leaders pledged closer cooperation on diplomacy, law enforcement and military affairs.

Kim’s latest trip was his first overseas visit this year, following an appearance at a military parade in Beijing in 2025 alongside Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The visit also marked a milestone for a long-delayed infrastructure project connecting the two countries.

China spent more than $300 million constructing the approximately two-mile bridge across the Yalu River, but the crossing remained unused for over a decade because North Korea had not completed its connecting infrastructure.

Pyongyang recently finished the necessary roads, customs facilities and other upgrades, allowing the four-lane crossing to become operational.