Chinese President Xi Jinping set foot on Pyongyang soil for the first time in seven years.
China Central Television (CCTV) reported that Xi arrived at Pyongyang Sunan Airport at noon Sunday, beginning a two-day state visit. Accompanying him were his wife, Peng Liyuan; Cai Qi, secretary of the Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and Xi's de facto chief of staff (a Politburo Standing Committee member ranked fifth in the official hierarchy); and Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission and head of the diplomatic line (a Politburo member who also serves as foreign minister).
The face-to-face meeting between the North Korean and Chinese leaders comes after a nine-month gap. It is the first since State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un visited Beijing last September to attend China's Victory Day commemorations.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Xi's Air China private jet arrived at Pyongyang Sunan Airport, where a red carpet had been laid out. The North Korean and Chinese national flags were displayed side by side at the airport. Welcome messages such as "Warmly welcome Comrade Xi Jinping" and "Long live the friendship and unity between North Korea and China" were displayed in both Korean and Chinese. The footage also captured North Korean escort forces riding motorcycles and a North Korean military honor guard.
According to CCTV, Kim and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, came out directly onto the runway at the airport to greet Xi and his wife. Xi and Kim shook hands as they descended the boarding stairs.
Xi is expected to proceed to a summit with Kim following a welcome ceremony at Kim Il-sung Square. The talks are expected to feature expanded North Korea-China economic cooperation and the situation on the Korean Peninsula as key agenda items.
