Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit North Korea on June 8–9, Iltalehti reports. The trip will be Xi’s first foreign visit of the year, which gives it added international significance.

The timing makes the visit politically notable. Even if the trip is short, it highlights the importance of China’s relationship with North Korea in regional diplomacy.

Xi’s travel plans are likely to be watched closely because they also reflect current priorities in China’s foreign policy. The timing alone has made the visit stand out as diplomatically important.