Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in North Korea early Monday for talks with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. Xi's visit to the East Asian country is Xi's first in seven years. 

Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, received a red-carpet welcome from the North Korean leadership, with a guard of honor and crowds waving Chinese and North Korean flags, the BBC reported. 

Xi told state media that the meeting is a "new historical starting point." Xi only travels out of China a few times a year, and the travels often suggest what Beijing's diplomatic priorities are for the year. 

Trade with China is a key part of the North Korean economy, especially as heavy international sanctions over its nuclear program limit its trading options.