Friendship or leverage: Why is Xi Jinping in North Korea?

Friendship or leverage: Why is Xi Jinping in North Korea?28 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleLaura BickerChina correspondentGetty ImagesXi and Kim last met in September in Beijing at a military paradeFor Chinese leader Xi Jinping, 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.

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