There Xi goes: visiting North Korea
Economist Podcasts
The Economist
4.3 • 5K Ratings
🗓️ 9 June 2026
⏱️ 25 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Xi Jinping’s first visit to North Korea in seven years has been marked by pomp and shows of friendship. But what does the Chinese leader really want from the trip? Our correspondent visits Goma in Congo to see what life is like under Rwanda-backed rebel group M23. And why curry may soon be off the menu in Japan.
Guests and host:
- Jeremy Page, chief China correspondent
- John McDermott, chief Africa correspondent
- Moeka Iida, Japan correspondent
- Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, Russia, nuclear proliferation
- Congo, Goma, M23, Rwanda
- Japan, India, immigration, curry
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Economist |
| 0:02.0 | Hello and welcome to the intelligence from The Economist. |
| 0:14.0 | I'm Rosie Bloor. |
| 0:19.0 | Today on the show, life under rebel occupation in Congo, and Japan's Indian restaurants are under threat. |
| 0:31.1 | But first... |
| 0:42.3 | ... But first... North Korea and its neighbour China have long been allies, |
| 0:46.3 | but it's been seven years since Xi Jinping last visited Pyongyang. |
| 0:59.9 | Yesterday he arrived in the capital to streets lined with supporters waving flags and letting off balloons. |
| 1:01.4 | He and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un planted a fir tree together to symbolize their enduring |
| 1:07.7 | and evergreen friendship. |
| 1:10.9 | Much of the world may be hoping Xi Jinping |
| 1:13.2 | can rein in North Korea's nuclear ambitions, |
| 1:16.8 | but she has other priorities. |
| 1:20.9 | Xi Jinping's last visit to North Korea was back in 2019, |
| 1:25.2 | and at that time, China, along with Russia, was actually helping the United States to put pressure on Kim Jong-un to halt his nuclear weapons program. |
| 1:35.2 | Jeremy Page is host of Drum Tower, our China podcast, and our chief China correspondent. |
| 1:41.0 | Today, that is no longer a focus for Xi Jinping. |
| 1:47.9 | He is much more worried about Russia's growing influence in North Korea and about preparing for another potential summit between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump. |
| 1:54.9 | So aside from welcoming crowds and displays of prowess, |
| 2:00.6 | what are we actually going to get out of this visit |
| 2:03.7 | between Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un? I think there's going to be a lot of talk about the history |
| 2:08.7 | of the relationship, fighting together in the Korean War, everything they've been through since. |
... |
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