Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit North Korea in Pyongyang next week, marking his first trip to the isolated country since 2019. Multiple outlets report that the announcement is made by China and North Korea through official state media. Coverage states the visit is set for June 8 to June 9 and that it takes place at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Several reports describe the trip as Xi’s first overseas visit of the year.

Other reporting in the set notes that the announcement follows Xi’s recent meetings in Beijing, including talks with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in May. One outlet also references North Korea unveiling a new facility related to producing ingredients for nuclear weapons, placing the scheduled visit against a backdrop of ongoing nuclear developments.

Overall, the sources agree on the timing, purpose being at Kim’s invitation, and the fact that it is Xi’s return trip to North Korea after several years without a visit.