North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un's summit earlier this week with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Pyongyang marked not only an affirmation of the two nations' 65-year mutual defense treaty but an opportunity for the ruler to showcase his status on the world stage.
Just weeks earlier, Xi had received U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in separate summits in China. Xi's meeting with Kim, his second since hosting the North Korean leader last September, illustrated the degree to which Beijing views Pyongyang as a relevant player at the highest levels.