The North Korean leader has kicked off 2019 with a bang, using what is traditionally a quiet month to visit China for a four-day trip in which he is widely expected to meet President Xi Jinping.

The trip, Kim’s fourth to China since taking power, follows months of diplomatic stalemate between Pyongyang and Washington and growing calls by the DPRK for relief from international sanctions – demands Beijing has long echoed.

So, what to expect from the visit?

NK Pro analysis suggests the two countries’ leaders are likely to use the visit to:[/p