Why North Korea’s Kim is doubling down on nuclear might as Xi visit looms

North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un’s recent display of nuclear-processing capabilities appears timed with reports of an impending visit by China’s leader and fuelled by insecurities…

North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un’s recent display of nuclear-processing capabilities appears timed with reports of an impending visit by China’s leader and fuelled by insecurities about Seoul’s nuclear submarine talks with Washington.

Analysts also say that mounting trilateral talks involving the United States, Japan and South Korea have galvanised Kim into doubling down on Pyongyang’s status as a nuclear-armed state.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced on Friday that Xi Jinping would “pay a state visit” to North Korea on Monday and Tuesday at Kim’s invitation.

The brief dispatch provided no further details of the trip, which will mark the Chinese leader’s first visit to North Korea in nearly seven years.

The pair last met in September, when Kim travelled to Beijing for the 80th anniversary of China’s Victory Day. Russian President Vladimir Putin was also at the military parade.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrive for a reception marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on September 3, 2025. Photo: Reuters

The announcement came a day after KCNA reported that Kim had visited a newly launched nuclear-material production facility earlier this week, highlighting the country’s advances in producing fissile material and nuclear weapons.

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