Chinese President Xi Jinping has touched down in Pyongyang as he marks his first visit to North Korea since 2019, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Xi is set to hold talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his two-day visit, although no specific agenda has yet been announced.
North Korea rolls out red carpet for Xi
Xi arrived in North Korea’s capital on Monday at noon local time (0300 UTC), Xinhua reported.
Visuals from the official Chinese agency showed military officers flanking a red carpet, that was laid out on the tarmac, as the Air China plane carrying Xi taxied in.
Chinese and North Korean flags were seen at the airport with a banner that read: “We warmly welcome Comrade Xi Jinping” and lauded the two Asian nations’ “unbreakable friendship,” according to a translation cited by news agency AFP.
Kim and his wife Ri Sol-ju greeted Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan.
The two leaders shook hands, as children presented flowers to the visitors, AFP reported.
Xinhua had earlier reported that Xi is accompanied by senior officials including Foreign Minister Wang Yi and de facto chief of staff Cai Qi.
Xi last met Kim in September in Beijing, when he invited the North Korean leader and Russian President Vladimir Putin to a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Credit: DW
