Xi Jinping will travel to North Korea next week in first visit since 2019

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Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit North Korea next week, his first trip there since 2019, according to simultaneous announcements from Beijing and Pyongyang on Friday. The timing is striking: the announcement came just one day after North Korea unveiled a new facility designed to produce nuclear fuel, a move that underscores the escalating nuclear ambitions of Kim Jong Un's regime. The visit marks a significant diplomatic moment as China seeks to maintain its influence over its isolated neighbor amid rising regional tensions and international scrutiny over North Korea's weapons programs.