Xi returns to China after closely watched North Korea trip

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, front right, greets Chinese President Xi Jinping, center left, on the latter’s arrival at the airport in Pyongyang, Monday, June 8, 2026. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
In this photo provided by the North Korean government, Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and his wife Peng Liyuan, second left, accompanied by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, second right, and his wife his wife Ri Sol Ju, attend a welcome ceremony in Pyongyang, Monday, June 8, 2026. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
In this photo provided by the North Korean government, Chinese President Xi Jinping, center left, shakes hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center right, during a welcome ceremony in Pyongyang, Monday, June 8, 2026. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center right, and his wife Ri Sol Ju, right, pose with Chinese President Xi Jinping, center left, and his wife Peng Liyuan, left, during a dinner in Pyongyang, Monday, June 8, 2026. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, center left, attend a welcome ceremony in Pyongyang, Monday, June 8, 2026. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)