June 17, 2026
The 19% increase from 2024 produced the highest expenditure on nuclear weapons since the group began tracking spending
Kim Jong Un hosts a banquet for Xi Jinping and his delegation
He is expected to hold talks with Kim on the two-day visit
Earlier engagements between the two leaders continue to shape current diplomatic ties
Beijing has worked to draw Pyongyang - its only formal treaty ally - back into its fold, after the COVID-19 pandemic froze exchanges
Kim says production capacity for weapons-grade nuclear material had reached more than double its previous level over the past five years
Kim vows upgraded cruise missiles to be deployed near border with South Korea
Xi, who hosted US President Donald Trump last week, will try to act as a mediator between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
