What did the Chinese Foreign Minister discuss when he visited North Korea?
(Baonghean.vn) - According to North Korean state media on May 3, the country's Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho had discussions with senior Chinese diplomats to discuss ways to improve relations between the two countries as well as the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
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| This photo taken by North Korea's state news agency on May 3 shows North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi holding talks in Pyongyang, regarding relations between the two countries and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Photo Yonhap |
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to North Korea comes after South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held a historic summit on April 27, reaffirming the goal of "complete" denuclearization of the peninsula.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that Mr. Ri and Mr. Wang on May 2 had an “in-depth” discussion on issues of developing “friendly and cooperative” relations between North Korea and China following the summit in Beijing between the two countries’ leaders in late March.
“They also frankly exchanged views on issues of common concern including the situation on the Korean Peninsula,” the source said.
This is the first visit to North Korea by a Chinese foreign minister in 11 years.
North Korea's long-frozen relations with China have begun to warm following Kim Jong-un's surprise visit to Beijing in March, ahead of his summits with South Korea and the United States.
China, North Korea's sole remaining ally and economic lifeline, has seen its relations with its rival strained by Pyongyang's nuclear and missile provocations.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to visit North Korea after Mr Kim holds a summit with US President Donald Trump scheduled for this month.
In late April, Trump said he would meet with the North Korean leader in the next three to four weeks to discuss the regime's denuclearization.
Last week, a joint statement was issued after the inter-Korean summit, affirming that the two Koreas agreed to seek three-way meetings involving themselves and the US or four-way dialogues with China's participation to discuss a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.
China has complained about the possibility of being “left out” of the peace-making process on the peninsula.
Beijing's active engagement with North Korea is seen as an effort to raise its voice in establishing a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula, experts say.
