Why Xi visited Kim after seven years: China’s bid to keep North Korea close

China's President Xi Jinping on Monday pledged Beijing’s ‘unwavering’ support to North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un, during his first visit to the country in 7 years."The unwavering support for the socialist cause of the DPRK led by Comrade General Secretary Kim Jong-un will not change; and the firm determination to safeguard the common interests and favourable strategic environment of both China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will not change," Xi said, as per China's state-run Xinhua news agency.Kim described Xi as a ‘most distinguished guest’ and hailed North Korea’s relationship with China as ‘the nation's foremost, top-priority strategic undertaking’.This was Xi's first foreign visit this year.The relations between China and North Korea have been strained ever since Pyongyang moved close to Moscow, sending soldiers and ammunition to fight Russia’s war in Ukraine.According to the BBC, about 2,300 North Korean soldiers have died fighting for Russia against Ukraine. Pyongyang is also reported to supply ammunition for the war in exchange for oil, critical military technology and economic aid.Xi's trip is being seen as an attempt by Beijing to regain influence over its vital yet deeply unpredictable partner.Prior to the visit, there were speculations that Xi’s meeting with Kim would include discussions on the country’s nuclear ambitions. A fact sheet released after US President Donald Trump’s visit to China in May had stated the shared commitment of both nations to the denuclearisation of North Korea.A day before Xi’s visit, Kim Yo Jong, the deputy and sister to the North Korean leader, said that North Korea wouldn’t even compromise an inch on the issue of nuclear disarmament. Since 2006, North Korea has conducted multiple nuclear tests and publicly declared itself a nuclear-armed state.China wants stability on its border and influence in Pyongyang, but without being dragged into crises triggered by North Korea's nuclear ambitions.According to a report by the Council on Foreign Relations in 2024, China primarily needs North Korea to maintain stability in the Korean Peninsula. It wants to prevent a collapse of Kim’s regime in order to avoid a potential unwanted war in the region, which could undermine China’s security interests.Speaking to Al Jazeera, Alicia Garcia Herrero, chief economist for Asia Pacific at French investment bank Natixis, said China needs North Korea as a strategic buffer as it keeps US troops away from China’s border and prevents a chaotic collapse that would send millions of refugees into China and hand Washington more influence in Asia.