Ahead of May U.S.-China Summit, China's Wang Yi Visits North Korea Before South Korea... Expected to Meet Kim Jong Un

With about a month remaining before the U.S.-China summit, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on April 10 during his visit to North Korea.

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Sonhui held a meeting with Wang Yi, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister (left), at the Kumsusan Guesthouse on the 9th, according to a report by Korean Central Television on the 10th. [Korean Central Television footage] April 10, 2026 Yonhap News Agency

According to the Korean Central News Agency, Wang Yi, who serves as both Foreign Minister and a member of the Political Bureau, arrived in Pyongyang the previous day and held talks with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui at the Kumsusan Guesthouse. The agency reported that the two sides "agreed to further deepen multifaceted exchanges and cooperation, and to strengthen strategic communication and support between their respective foreign policy institutions." It was also noted that this year marks the 65th anniversary of the signing of the 'Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance' between the two countries. According to the report, Wang Yi stated, "Regardless of how the international situation changes, the Chinese party and government maintain an unwavering position to firmly safeguard, consolidate, and develop the friendship between China and North Korea."

This visit by Wang Yi to North Korea is the first in six years and seven months, since May 2019. It is particularly noteworthy as it comes about a month before U.S. President Donald Trump’s scheduled visit to China on May 15. Since the launch of Trump’s second administration, the U.S.-China trade dispute and the Middle East war have been followed by visits to China by leaders from Western liberal countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and France, as part of efforts to strengthen diplomatic engagement with China. Against this backdrop, China is also reaffirming its traditional solidarity with North Korea. This appears to be an effort to expand its diplomatic foundation ahead of the upcoming U.S.-China summit, which is expected to be the year's most significant diplomatic event.

However, it was not disclosed whether there were any references to the United States during the meeting between the North Korean and Chinese foreign ministers. Whether North Korea and the United States will have any contact on the occasion of next month's U.S.-China summit remains uncertain. A diplomatic source said, "It seems unlikely that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will be given a spotlight at a political event where the U.S. and Chinese leaders should be the main protagonists." Meanwhile, the South Korean and Chinese foreign ministries have been working to hold a foreign ministers’ meeting in Seoul during the first quarter, but this has yet to materialize. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stated during a cabinet meeting in January that "we agreed to hold a ministerial-level meeting with Minister Wang Yi in the first quarter of this year," but the first quarter has already passed without the meeting taking place.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.