North Korea’s Kim Jong-un takes train to Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping
- Kim Jong-un and an entourage including wife Ri Sol-ju entered China by train late on Monday, at the invitation of Xi Jinping
- An analyst suggests the trip by Kim might be to win Xi’s support for easing of sanctions
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is visiting China by train at the invitation of President Xi Jinping – and likely plans to see whether China is willing to ease enforcement of sanctions against his country, a nuclear expert said on Monday.
“Kim clearly will want to get a temperature check of China’s support of UN Security Council sanctions,” said Harry Kazianis, director of defence studies at the Centre for the National Interest in Washington, adding that the North Korean leader would want to know if Xi might ease off Beijing’s involvement in the sanctions programme.
Any assessment of China’s willingness is important, Kazianis continued, because it would also give Kim an idea of how far he can push back against Washington’s pressure campaign against Pyongyang if the Trump administration refuses to compromise on sanctions relief.
On Monday a high-ranking North Korean, reported by South Korean media to be Kim, appeared to be travelling through China by train, although the identity of the traveller was not immediately confirmed.