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China’s Xi Jinping arrives in a North Korea armed with advanced warships and AI drones

When Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday, he was entering a country undergoing notable development in both its nuclear programme and conventional…

By Samantha Johnson / June 8, 2026
When Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday, he was entering a country undergoing notable development in both its nuclear programme and conventional combat capacity.
North Korea has been aided in these developments by Russian military technology and economic aid, which Pyongyang received in exchange for sending troops and equipment to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine. These advances could help Pyongyang threaten the balance of power against South Korea and the United States.

Surface and underwater fleet

The construction of Pyongyang’s Choe Hyon-class guided-missile destroyer, which has a displacement of up to 5,000 tonnes, was first unveiled in December 2024. It is North Korea’s largest-ever surface combatant.

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Its first ship in the class, the Choe Hyon, was launched in April last year, while the second, the Kang Kon, was relaunched in June the same year after it capsized during its launch ceremony a month earlier. The two vessels are undergoing sea trials before being delivered to the North Korean navy.

Russia honours North Korean soldiers in award ceremony for troops who fought against Ukraine

Despite wider scepticism about the extent of damage to the Kang Kon during the incident, leader Kim Jong-un attended the sea trial of the vessel, according to a North Korean state media report on Thursday. It said the most important task in the new five-year national defence development policy was the “rapid strengthening of naval forces to play a part in nuclear war deterrence”.

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