China's Xi Jinping to meet Kim Jong Un in rare visit to North Korea

It is taking place weeks after Xi met the leaders of the US and Russia - two countries that loom large over North Korea's foreign policy.

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Xi will be in North Korea from 8 to 9 June at Kim's invitation. Xi last visited Pyongyang in 2019.

The visit comes weeks after Xi received US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing - two countries that loom large over Pyongyang's foreign policy.

China is a key economic and political partner of North Korea, which faces sweeping international sanctions as a result of its nuclear weapons programme and alleged human rights violations.

China and North Korea share a 1,400km-long border and are bound by a defence pact - the only one China has with any country. It guarantees mutual support if either is attacked.