BBC:
The Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to strengthen his relationship with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un in a rare state visit to Pyongyang.
Cheering crowds shouting welcome in Korean and Chinese lined the streets of the capital – all the way from the airport to the central Kim Il Sung square where a military honour guard was waiting and a banner which heralded the bond between the two as “unbreakable”.
Xi told Kim that he was willing to work together to guide the relationship to new heights.
But it has not always been this way – and there is much more to this visit than simply reaffirming neighbourly ties.
For Xi, North Korea is the neighbour China can neither control nor afford to lose.
The two sides often describe their relationship as one “forged in blood”, a reference to the Korean War.
Yet in recent years, mistrust has strained ties. And now Beijing is trying to reassert sway over a strategically vital yet deeply unpredictable partner.
China wants stability on its border and influence in Pyongyang, but without being dragged into crises triggered by North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.
So Xi’s visit this week is likely to be less about friendship, more about leverage.
Seoul believes he may try to position China as a mediator between North Korea and the United States, but Beijing may have other motives.
Western diplomatic sources tell the BBC that China has become increasingly concerned about the growing partnership between Pyongyang and Moscow.
After meeting Russian leader Vladimir Putin last week, Xi may want to ensure he also keeps North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in check, especially as Beijing increases its presence on the global stage.
