Xi Jinping to Visit Pyongyang Next Week for First Time in 7 Years; North Korea-China Summit Set for the 8th or 9th

Financial News] Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, will visit North Korea on the 8th or 9th, his first trip in seven years. On the 5th, North Korean and Chinese authorities said Xi will visit North Korea on the 8th and 9th at the invitation of Kim Jong Un, President of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea. Xi appears to have timed the Pyongyang visit for after June 6, when Thongloun Sisoulith, President of Laos, is scheduled to finish his trip to China.
Xi last visited Pyongyang on June 20-21, 2019, meaning this will be his first trip there in about seven years.
Satellite images have recently captured signs of large-scale structures and construction in Pyongyang, apparently in preparation for Xi's visit to North Korea. According to foreign media reports, a fence has been erected around the center of Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, and a large structure believed to be a reviewing stand for welcoming foreign leaders has been under construction since late last month. Similar work began eight days before Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea.
The airport is also securing parking space for foreign aircraft, as was done when top allies such as Russia and China visited.
The meeting between the North Korean and Chinese leaders comes about nine months after Kim visited Beijing in early September last year to attend China's Victory Day celebrations.
During that visit, Kim was accompanied by his eldest daughter, Kim Ju Ae, and made his debut on the multilateral diplomatic stage by watching the military parade with Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Xi's last visit to North Korea was in June 2019. At the time, he made a state visit to North Korea for the first time since taking power in late 2012 and held a summit with Kim.
rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo Reporter