Li Qiang, the second-ranking official of the Chinese Communist Party and Premier of the State Council, is scheduled to visit North Korea for the 80th anniversary celebration of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that Premier Li will lead a delegation comprising party and government officials on an official goodwill visit to North Korea from Thursday to Saturday.
During a press briefing, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry underscored the time-honored friendly relations between China and North Korea. The spokesperson expressed hope that this visit, building on significant agreements reached by the top leaders of both nations, would mark a new milestone in strengthening strategic communication and deepening cooperation, thereby continuously advancing Sino-North Korean relations.
While Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned visit to North Korea did not come to fruition, the high-ranking status of this delegation is considered a notable upgrade compared to previous events.
A decade ago, during the 70th anniversary celebrations of the Workers’ Party in 2015, Liu Yunshan, then the fifth-highest ranking official of the Communist Party, attended the festivities. In 2010, Zhou Yongkang, a former member of the Politburo Standing Committee, visited North Korea for its 65th anniversary event.
The decision for Premier Li’s visit to North Korea was made shortly after North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui’s trip to China. Minister Choe met with Premier Li on September 29 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to discuss the future direction of bilateral relations. It is believed that the final arrangements for the visit to North Korea were finalized during this meeting.