SEOUL, South Korea — Top diplomatic officials from China and North Korea have committed to strengthening bilateral relations and expanding collaborative efforts following high-level discussions in Pyongyang, according to state media reports released Friday.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in North Korea’s capital on Thursday, marking his first diplomatic mission to the country since 2017.
According to China’s Xinhua news agency, Wang met with his North Korean counterpart, Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, where they addressed current global and regional matters during Thursday’s session, though specific topics were not disclosed. North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency stated that both officials committed to enhancing strategic dialogue between their respective foreign policy departments.
State media from both nations did not reveal whether discussions included the United States or other international concerns such as the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The diplomatic visit occurs ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned trip to Beijing for a postponed summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for May.
While North Korea and China have traditionally maintained what’s often characterized as a relationship “as close as lips and teeth,” recent years have seen questions arise about their bond. North Korea has concentrated on building stronger ties with Russia, providing military personnel and weapons for Moscow’s conflict in Ukraine, while China appears hesitant to join an anti-Western coalition with North Korea and Russia.
However, both nations have been working to strengthen their partnership. In September, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Xi conducted their first leadership meeting in over six years, during which they committed to mutual assistance.
Transportation links between the countries were restored last month when North Korea and China restarted direct aviation and railway passenger services that had been halted since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.
