China Sends a Top Official to North Korea to Strengthen Ties

On July 16, 2026, North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un met one of China's top officials, Wang Huning, in Pyongyang. Both promised to follow a plan set during Xi Jinping's June visit — his first trip to North Korea as president in seven years. Xi wanted closer cooperation on diplomacy, policing, and the military. Wang voiced China's "firm support" for Kim's rule.