North Korea’s reported preparations for an imminent visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping suggest the two allies look to reassert their alignment against the U.S., at a time when the DPRK’s denuclearization has all but fallen off the global agenda.

The Chinese president last met Kim Jong Un last September, where the North Korean leader joined Vladimir Putin in flanking Xi at Beijing’s Victory Day military parade. He also recently hosted both Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump in Beijing in May.

After his trip to China last year, it