On June 5, 2026, the Chinese-language website of German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle argued that Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea, scheduled for the 8th and 9th, "aims to rebuild relations." This will be President Xi's first visit to North Korea in seven years and his first foreign trip this year.

William Yang (楊皓暐), Northeast Asia analyst for the International Crisis Group (ICG), stated, "China is concerned that North Korea's missiles and nuclear weapons undermine the stability of the Korean Peninsula. However, given the current situation where Japan, the U.S., and South Korea continue their cooperation in security and defense, President Xi's visit to North Korea demonstrates that China places extremely high importance on its relationship with North Korea. Furthermore, it also aims to assert China's stance on maintaining its interests in the East Asian region by re-strengthening its influence over North Korea."

Professor Lim Eul-chul (林乙哲) of the University of North Korean Studies at Kyungnam University in South Korea said, "China hosted U.S. President Trump on May 13 and Russian President Putin on May 20, and through meetings with various heads of state, it is attempting to play a mediator role in the international community. As China's international status improves, it is likely trying to draw North Korea deeper into its diplomatic sphere and position it as a partner in promoting a multipolar international order."

Lee Sung-hyun (李成賢), Senior Fellow at the George H.W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations, analyzed, "President Xi chose North Korea as his first foreign trip destination this year with the intention of countering the Western perception that 'North Korea is falling under Russia's influence.'"

The article pointed out that "according to the NCKK (National Committee on North Korea), a U.S. government-affiliated think tank, North Korea relies on China for 95% of its trade. Furthermore, before the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese tourists were a crucial pillar supporting North Korea's tourism industry. In March this year, cross-border train operations between China and North Korea resumed after a six-year hiatus. However, the first foreign tourists North Korea welcomed after the COVID-19 pandemic were Russians, not Chinese. This fact surprised some experts who had expected the resumption of Chinese tourist arrivals to come sooner."

The article further reported, "In recent years, North Korea has been strengthening its ties with Russia, especially in the security sector. It is said to have dispatched troops to the Russian military during the war in Ukraine, and in return, it has been receiving economic assistance, military technology, and cooperation in evading international sanctions." (Translation/Editing by Kuniaki Hara)