OMM Newsroom
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made an unannounced visit to China on Saturday and returned home, AnewZ reported. He entered Dandong by crossing the newly opened New Yalu River Bridge for the first time. The visit underscored close ties between Pyongyang and Beijing.
It was Kim’s first visit to China in a year and his sixth since taking power in 2011. The trip carried diplomatic and symbolic significance.
Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and one of the country’s most senior officials, welcomed him in Dandong. Wang conveyed personal greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Kim and Wang visited an automobile plant and expressed their intention to strengthen bilateral cooperation. The North Korean leader said his country was ready to develop its long-standing friendship with China and expand practical cooperation that would benefit both countries.
The visit carries historical significance
The visit took place shortly before Oct. 25, when China and North Korea commemorate China’s entry into the 1950-1953 Korean War in support of North Korea.
Kim visited a memorial in Dandong dedicated to those killed in the war. North Korean state media highlighted the two countries’ historic ties, describing their friendship as “forged in blood.”
The opening of the New Yalu River Bridge is seen as an important step toward restoring economic ties between the neighboring countries. Construction began more than a decade ago but stalled for years, first because of political tensions and later because of COVID-19 border restrictions that largely isolated North Korea for more than four years.
The bridge’s opening could boost cross-border trade, which remains in the process of recovery after years of disruption.
Possible meeting with Trump in focus
The visit came at an important time for North Korean foreign policy, as Kim seeks to strengthen Pyongyang’s ties with both China and Russia.
During 2026, Kim has taken steps to reinforce relations with Beijing and Moscow. He has portrayed the global order as a new Cold War between the United States and countries challenging Washington’s dominance.
The trip again brought those ties into focus as speculation grows that diplomatic contacts with the United States could resume.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he is interested in meeting Kim during next month’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen. The possibility has added diplomatic significance to the North Korean leader’s visit to China.
A possible meeting between the leaders on Chinese soil could make Beijing a focal point for an important diplomatic contact. For now, Kim’s visit to Dandong both reaffirms North Korea’s long-standing alliance with China and may signal the possibility of renewed talks with Washington.
