United News of Bangladesh

Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation and strengthen their long-standing alliance during Xi’s rare visit to Pyongyang, according to state media reports from both countries. The summit marked Xi’s first trip to North Korea in seven years and underscored Beijing’s effort to reinforce its influence over its isolated socialist neighbor amid shifting regional dynamics. Lavish welcome and high-level talks Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, were greeted at Pyongyang’s international airport by Kim and his wife, Ri Sol Ju. The Chinese leader was later welcomed with a large ceremony in the capital’s main square, featuring military honors, flags, banners and portraits of both leaders. During talks, Xi said China was ready to expand cooperation with North Korea in areas such as trade, agriculture, construction and technology, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV. Kim described relations with China as North Korea’s “most important top-priority strategic work” and praised Xi’s visit as a major sign of support, the Korean Central News Agency reported. Strategic coordination and regional implications Both leaders pledged to strengthen strategic coordination and protect their countries’ sovereignty and security interests. Kim also reaffirmed support for China’s “one-China principle” regarding Taiwan. Analysts say the visit highlights China’s desire to maintain a leading role on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, especially as North Korea has recently deepened military and economic ties with Russia. China remains North Korea’s main economic lifeline and diplomatic backer. The two countries marked 65 years of their mutual defense treaty this year. Nuclear issue left unmentioned Notably, reports from both sides did not mention North Korea’s nuclear program, a departure from Xi’s 2019 visit when Chinese media referred to denuclearization efforts. The omission is likely significant for Kim, who has sought international recognition of North Korea as a nuclear-armed state. Ahead of Xi’s visit, Pyongyang reiterated that its nuclear program is non-negotiable and vowed to expand its nuclear capabilities. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Monday that North Korea is producing enough nuclear material annually for an estimated 10 to 20 bombs and is nearing mastery of intercontinental ballistic missile technology. Economic and diplomatic context Observers believe Xi may have offered economic support measures, including food aid and expanded tourism and transport links. Direct flights and passenger train services between the two countries resumed earlier this year after being suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting also comes as US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in reviving diplomacy with Kim, giving Beijing potential leverage in future negotiations involving Washington and Pyongyang.

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday for a rare state visit that experts say is likely meant to reassert China’s unique influence over North Korea in return for providing economic and political benefits. During a two-day trip, his first visit to North Korea in seven years, Xi is to meet leader Kim Jong Un. It will be their first summit since September, when they met in Beijing after viewing a military parade alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and other foreign leaders. China's official Xinhua News Agency reported that Xi had arrived in Pyongyang, after earlier reporting that Xi's entourage includes his wife Peng Liyuan, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and top Communist Party official Cai Qi. No specific agenda has been mentioned. Foreign experts predict the meeting will have big ramifications on bilateral ties and beyond, as they both seek to fully restore their traditional alliance in the face of separate confrontations with the U.S. “A Chinese leader doesn’t just visit North Korea because a visit is due. Xi’s trip will have real implications for China-DPRK relations,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, using the abbreviation for North Korea’s full name. Sway over North Korea could help Xi's dealings with US Xi’s trip comes after his back-to-back summits with U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin in Beijing last month. Xi is expected to meet Trump again on a planned U.S. visit in September. Xi will try to demonstrate China’s “sway over the Korean Peninsula” and “a leadership role in entire Northeast Asia in the ages of strategic competitions with the U.S.,” said Kwak Gil Sup, the head of One Korea Center, a website specializing in North Korea affairs. China has long been North Korea's economic lifeline and main diplomatic backer. Experts say China has avoided fully enforcing U.N. sanctions on North Korea and sent clandestine aid to help its impoverished neighbor stay afloat. This year marks 65 years since the two countries signed a mutual defense treaty. But there have been questions about their ties in recent years, with North Korea prioritizing cooperation with Russia by supplying troops and weapons to support its war against Ukraine. In return, North Korea has received economic and military assistance from Russia. Restoring an exclusive influence over North Korea would give Xi a leverage in dealings with Trump, who has repeatedly expressed his desire to restart diplomacy with Kim, experts say. “Implementing U.N. Security Council resolutions and enforcing sanctions do not appear to be priorities for China," Easley said. In an article published on the North’s main Rodong Sinmun newspaper Monday, Xi said China and North Korea must boost strategic cooperation and work together to oppose “hegemonism and coercive politics” and pursue an orderly multipolar world. Kim needs Xi's support for his push for nuclear state Xi would likely offer Kim economic aid packages such as shipments of rice and fertilizers, a resumption of Chinese group tourism to North Korea. and joint economic projects, analysts said. “North Korea can’t solely rely on Russia. It needs to align with China,” Kwak said. In a Monday editorial, the Rodong Sinmun newspaper called Xi “the most honored state guest,” saying Pyongyang’s streets “are filled with an atmosphere of friendship.” Xi could also refrain from pressing Kim on the issue of denuclearization of North Korea, and vaguely speak about peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. That would be essential for Kim, who is desperate to win international recognition as a nuclear weapons state as a way to call for lifting of U.N. sanctions on North Korea. “Chinese officials have taken the position of not speaking publicly about denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula while still maintaining it as a long-term goal. Kim appears to want Xi to accept North Korea as a nuclear neighbor,” Easley said. After last month’s summit between Trump and Xi, the White House said the two leaders confirmed their shared goal to denuclearize North Korea. But China only said the leaders discussed the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. On Sunday, Kim’s sister and senior official, Kim Yo Jong, dismissed as “false information” the U.S. readout of the Xi-Trump meeting. Last week, Kim unveiled a new plant to produce nuclear ingredients and vowed to bolster the country’s nuclear forces “at an exponential rate.” He also observed sea trials of a new naval destroyer and called for speeding up efforts to build a nuclear-armed navy. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung told reporters Monday that North Korea is producing enough nuclear ingredients annually for about 10-20 bombs and is close to perfecting intercontinental ballistic missile technology. Lee said the world must first focus on convincing North Korea to freeze its nuclear materials production and ICBM program as a short-term goal. On Sunday, Kim’s sister and senior official, Kim Yo Jong, echoed her brother, calling a U.S. push for the denuclearization of North Korea an “escapist and anachronistic dream.” Kim Jong Un has rebuffed U.S. and South Korean offers for talks and focused on enlarging and modernizing his nuclear arsenal since his high-stakes diplomacy with Trump collapsed in 2019. The North Korean leader said in September that he still had "good personal memories” of Trump but urged the U.S. to withdraw its demand for North Korea to denuclearize as a precondition for resuming diplomacy. Experts say Kim would eventually want arms reductions talks with the U.S. to win concessions in return for partially surrendering his nuclear weapons.

The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has dismissed US calls for North Korea's denuclearization as an outdated fantasy, saying Pyongyang will continue to strengthen its nuclear capabilities in response to what it sees as threats led by Washington. The remarks by Kim Yo Jong came a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit North Korea for talks with Kim Jong Un, marking his first trip to the country in seven years. Kim Yo Jong said the United States has no authority to challenge North Korea’s status as a nuclear-armed state and described Washington’s position as unilateral rhetoric without legal force. She also rejected US claims that President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping had reaffirmed their shared goal of denuclearizing North Korea during talks in Beijing last month, calling such assertions false. According to Kim Yo Jong, some US officials remain trapped in what she described as an unrealistic and outdated view regarding North Korea’s nuclear programme. North Korea has accelerated efforts to expand its nuclear weapons capabilities since diplomacy between Kim Jong Un and Trump collapsed in 2019. Analysts say Pyongyang seeks international recognition as a nuclear state to strengthen its position in negotiations and push for the removal of international sanctions. Last week, Kim Jong Un visited a newly built nuclear materials production facility and said the country's nuclear forces would grow at an “exponential” pace. North Korean state media reported Sunday that he also inspected a weapons factory a day earlier and ordered a 2.5-fold increase in missile production capacity under the current five-year development plan. In her statement, Kim Yo Jong accused the United States and South Korea of continuing military build-ups, saying North Korea’s policy of strengthening its nuclear deterrent for self-defence is irreversible and will be pursued without conditions. Experts say Xi’s visit is largely aimed at reinforcing China’s influence over North Korea at a time when Pyongyang has been drawing closer to Russia. They believe Xi is unlikely to press the denuclearization issue directly and may instead focus on economic cooperation and assistance. North Korea has provided troops and conventional weapons to Russia to support its war in Ukraine. Officials in South Korea and the United States say Moscow has responded by offering economic and other forms of assistance to Pyongyang.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit North Korea for the first time in nearly seven years, in a trip that is expected to highlight North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s increasingly active foreign policy and his efforts to strengthen ties with traditional allies. The visit comes as North Korea seeks to balance its growing relationship with Russia while renewing closer cooperation with China, its biggest economic partner and longtime ally. It will be the first meeting between Xi and Kim since the North Korean leader visited Beijing in September 2025 for events marking the anniversary of the end of World War II. Kim looking for economic support Analysts say Kim is likely seeking stronger economic cooperation with China after spending recent years deepening ties with Russia, including sending troops and military supplies to support Moscow's war in Ukraine. While North Korea is believed to be receiving military assistance and other benefits from Russia, experts say Kim needs greater economic support from China if he hopes to improve living standards at home. According to analysts, discussions could include restarting Chinese tourism to North Korea, opening a long-completed bridge over the Yalu River that has never been used, and exploring joint economic projects in border areas shared by North Korea, China and Russia. Observers also note that Kim may see closer ties with China as useful if he eventually decides to reopen diplomacy with the United States. His previous talks with US President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019 over disagreements on sanctions and North Korea's nuclear programme. North Korea has so far rejected Trump's recent offers to resume talks, insisting that Washington first abandon its demand for denuclearisation as a condition for negotiations. China aims to restore influence For China, the visit offers an opportunity to strengthen its influence over a traditional ally that has recently moved closer to Russia. Experts say Beijing is likely concerned about the growing relationship between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin and may seek to rebalance North Korea's foreign relations through economic incentives and food assistance. Xi's trip is also significant because it marks his first overseas visit of 2026. Analysts say the visit sends a message that China intends to remain a key player in shaping security issues on the Korean Peninsula. Recent developments also suggest China may be taking a more pragmatic approach toward North Korea's nuclear ambitions. During a visit to Pyongyang in April, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Kim, and observers noted that official statements did not mention denuclearisation, a term China has traditionally used when discussing North Korea. Some analysts believe this could indicate that Beijing is increasingly accepting the reality of North Korea's nuclear status while focusing on maintaining stability and countering US influence in the region. A warmer relationship, but limits remain Experts expect Kim to give Xi a grand welcome during the visit, reflecting the importance of relations between the two countries. However, they also say North Korea's leader is now more confident on the international stage and may be less willing to follow China's wishes than in the past. While the visit is expected to strengthen political ties and economic cooperation, analysts believe North Korea will continue pursuing an independent foreign policy aimed at balancing relations with both China and Russia while protecting its own interests.

North Korea has revealed a new facility believed to be used for producing nuclear bomb fuel, with leader Kim Jong Un announcing plans to expand the country’s nuclear capabilities “at an exponential rate.” The development signals Pyongyang’s continued push to strengthen its nuclear programme, despite ongoing international sanctions and calls for denuclearisation. According to North Korea’s state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim visited the site on Wednesday and reviewed what officials described as an “ambitious future plan” to significantly boost nuclear forces. Experts believe the newly disclosed site is a uranium enrichment plant, although its exact location was not revealed. South Korea’s military also assessed it as such and said it is working closely with the United States to monitor North Korean nuclear activity. KCNA released images showing Kim walking through what appeared to be a centrifuge hall lined with metal pipes and equipment. Another photo showed him in a meeting room with officials, with a blurred diagram of a cone-shaped object placed on a table. This is the third time North Korea has publicly shown a uranium enrichment facility, after similar disclosures in 2010 and 2024. Analysts say the country is believed to operate multiple such sites, including at its Yongbyon nuclear complex. During the visit, Kim said rising tensions with what he called “the most ferocious enemies,” widely understood as the United States and South Korea, have made it necessary to expand nuclear deterrence both in scale and capability. He also claimed that North Korea’s production of nuclear materials has more than doubled in the past five years, a statement that cannot be independently verified. Pyongyang has long insisted it must be recognised as a nuclear weapons state and has shown little interest in returning to denuclearisation talks unless sanctions are lifted. The United States has repeatedly called for dialogue, with President Donald Trump expressing willingness to restart negotiations. However, North Korea has demanded recognition of its nuclear status as a precondition for talks. Since the collapse of nuclear diplomacy in 2019, Kim has overseen a series of weapons tests while pledging to rapidly expand the country’s arsenal. Experts estimate North Korea may now possess more than 100 nuclear warheads, though exact figures remain uncertain. Questions also remain over whether the country has fully mastered the technology needed for long-range nuclear missiles, including warhead re-entry and multiple warhead deployment systems. North Korea last conducted a nuclear test in September 2017.

North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea on Sunday, its neighbours said, days after the U.N. nuclear watchdog warned of “very serious” progress in Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons development.South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were fired Sunday morning from the Sinpo area on the country’s east coast, a region that hosts a major shipyard used for submarine construction. South Korea’s military said it has strengthened surveillance and is closely sharing intelligence with the United States and Japan.The presidential office in Seoul said the National Security Council plans to hold an emergency meeting to assess the situation. North Korea tests upgraded missile engine aimed at U.S. mainlandJapan’s Defence Ministry also detected the launches, saying the missiles were believed to have landed in waters off North Korea’s east coast. Tokyo lodged a strong protest, calling the launches a threat to regional and global peace and a violation of UN Security Council resolutions banning ballistic missile activity by North Korea.The latest launches come amid a series of weapons tests this year. Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw missile tests from a destroyer, while earlier Pyongyang conducted three days of trials involving ballistic missiles with cluster warheads and other systems. In March, it tested an upgraded solid-fuel engine capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.North Korea has expanded its nuclear programme since the collapse of talks with former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2019. While Trump has expressed interest in resuming dialogue, Kim has indicated openness only if Washington drops denuclearisation demands.

China’s national carrier has resumed direct flights between Beijing and North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, after a six-year suspension, shortly after passenger train services between the two cities restarted. The Air China flight arrived on Monday and was received by Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun along with other diplomats, Chinese state media reported. Passenger train services between the two countries resumed on March 12. Both flights and train services had been halted since early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. North Korea’s national airline, Air Koryo, had already restarted flights between the capitals in 2023. During the pandemic, North Korea banned all foreign tourists but has recently begun easing restrictions. A Russian tour group was allowed to enter the country in 2024. Before the travel ban, Chinese tourists accounted for about 90 percent of all visitors to North Korea. The delay in allowing Chinese tour groups to return had raised questions among observers. China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and a key ally, although Beijing has repeatedly expressed concern over Pyongyang’s missile tests, which could potentially target South Korea and the United States. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Beijing in September to attend a large military parade, marking the first time in decades that a North Korean leader joined such an event in China.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s influential sister, Kim Yo Jong, slammed the United States and South Korea for going ahead with their annual joint military exercises, calling them dangerous for global security and warning of “terrible consequences” if North Korea’s safety is threatened. Her remarks came Tuesday, a day after the allies launched the 11-day ‘Freedom Shield’ drills, which involve thousands of troops and coincide with heightened U.S. military operations in the Middle East. Without explicitly mentioning the Iran conflict, Kim Yo Jong said the exercises undermine regional stability at a time when global security is “collapsing rapidly” and conflicts are erupting worldwide due to “reckless acts of outrageous international rogues.” Freedom Shield is a largely computer-simulated exercise aimed at testing U.S.-South Korea joint operational capabilities, often accompanied by the ‘Warrior Shield’ field training program. North Korea has long described such drills as rehearsals for invasion and frequently responds with its own weapons tests, while the allies maintain the exercises are defensive. Highlighting Pyongyang’s growing nuclear capabilities, Kim Yo Jong said North Korea would continue strengthening its “destructive power” and repeatedly demonstrate its war deterrence against perceived threats. Meanwhile, South Korean President ‘Lee Jae Myung’acknowledged that some U.S. defensive systems, including Patriot missiles, may be moved from South Korea to support Middle East operations but stressed such relocations would not seriously weaken Seoul’s defenses against the North. North Korea has criticized U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran as “illegal acts of aggression” disguised as peacekeeping. Amid a diplomatic freeze with Washington and Seoul, Kim Jong Un has leaned into a Cold War-style foreign policy, boosting ties with Moscow and Beijing, while portraying Pyongyang as part of a united front against the U.S. Pyongyang and Tehran were among the few nations supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and have been accused of supplying military aid to Moscow. On a separate note, South Korea’s ‘Unification Ministry’said train services between Pyongyang and Beijing may resume this week for the first time in six years, potentially expanding exchanges and trade after border restrictions eased in 2022. Kim has also sought closer ties with China, meeting President ‘Xi Jinping’last September for their first summit in six years.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly chosen his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his official heir, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) told lawmakers on Thursday. Ju Ae, believed to be 13, has recently appeared alongside her father at major events, including a visit to Beijing in September, her first known trip abroad. The NIS said her increasing public presence and involvement in state events indicate she is now in the stage of “successor designation.” Lawmakers said Ju Ae has attended events like the founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army and visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun. She is also believed to have begun providing input on some state policies, showing her growing role in leadership. Ju Ae is Kim Jong Un’s only publicly acknowledged child. The NIS believes he may have an older son, but he has never been shown in state media. Ju Ae first appeared on North Korean television in 2022 while inspecting a missile system with her father. Her public appearances are seen as symbolic, showing her positioned prominently alongside Kim Jong Un. Analysts note that her selection as heir is unusual in North Korea’s patriarchal society, though female leaders like Kim Yo Jong provide some precedent. It remains unclear why Kim Jong Un, who is still young and reportedly healthy, has named a 13-year-old as heir, or what changes her succession may bring to the country’s policies and direction.   With inputs from BBC

North Korea on Tuesday fired what are believed to be ballistic missiles toward the sea in an apparent show of force, according to officials in neighboring countries, amid rising tensions with South Korea ahead of a key political gathering in Pyongyang. Japan’s Prime Minister’s Office and Defense Ministry reported the launch of possible ballistic missiles, while South Korea’s Defense Ministry said it detected at least one unidentified projectile launched off North Korea’s eastern coast. Details regarding the range or trajectory of the weapons were not immediately disclosed. The launch followed recent threats from North Korea to retaliate over alleged South Korean surveillance drone flights across the border, reportedly occurring earlier this month and in September. South Korea has denied conducting drone operations during the periods mentioned and said it is investigating whether civilian drones may have been involved. Experts say the drone allegations are likely part of Pyongyang’s efforts to stoke anti-South Korean sentiment ahead of the ruling Workers’ Party congress, expected to be held in late January or February. During the congress, North Korea may formally incorporate leader Kim Jong Un’s declaration of a hostile “two-state” approach toward the Korean Peninsula into the party constitution — a move not seen in the past five years. Earlier this month, North Korea announced test flights of hypersonic missiles, which were reportedly observed by Kim Jong Un, who emphasized strengthening the country’s nuclear deterrence, according to state media. Read More: North Korea claims progress in hypersonic missile program amid regional tensions In December, the North said it had test-fired long-range strategic cruise missiles and new anti-aircraft missiles, and released images suggesting the construction of its first nuclear-powered submarine. Analysts believe North Korea is showcasing its progress in weapons development ahead of the upcoming party congress.