Military, economic cooperation: What’s at stake in Xi Jinping’s North Korea visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to arrive in North Korea on Monday for a two-day visit aimed at reinforcing relations between Beijing and Pyongyang, as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un seeks to project confidence amid expanding military and economic cooperation with Russia. The trip marks Xi’s first visit to North Korea in seven years and comes against a backdrop of major changes in the regional landscape. Since Xi last travelled to Pyongyang in 2019, North Korea has significantly advanced its nuclear programme, strengthened ties with Moscow and shown little appetite for resuming engagement with the United States. The…