China says 'always in the same boat' with North Korea

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in the capital Pyongyang yesterday for a three-day visit and met with his North Korean counterpart Ri Yong-ho.

Wang referred to the 70-year alliance between the two countries, saying Beijing was willing to "promote close communication and cooperation on the international stage" with Pyongyang, a statement from China's Foreign Ministry said today.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) shakes hands with his North Korean counterpart Ri Yong-ho in Beijing in December 2018. Photo:Reuters.

In response, Mr. Ri said that North Korea is willing to cooperate with China to "promote greater development of relations in the new era".

Wang's visit to North Korea comes two months after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the country, amid a deadlock in denuclearization talks between Pyongyang and Washington.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump agreed to restart talks during a surprise meeting at the inter-Korean border on June 30. However, working-level talks between the two countries have yet to begin.

Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, South Korea, said Mr. Wang’s visit would raise concerns about economic cooperation between China and North Korea, despite a series of UN sanctions. However, the expert added that Pyongyang does not want to rely too much on Beijing.

China has long been North Korea's key diplomatic ally, as well as a key aid donor and trade partner.

Relations between the two countries cooled after Pyongyang's nuclear tests and Beijing's support for UN sanctions. However, both sides have made moves to improve ties.