Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and Minister of Foreign Affairs, is set to visit North Korea from April 9 to 10. This high-level diplomatic engagement is seen as a strategic move to coordinate positions between North Korea and China ahead of the anticipated U.S.-China summit in May.
On Wednesday, North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency announced that Comrade Wang would visit the country from April 9 to 10 at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, confirmed Wang’s upcoming visit to North Korea, emphasizing his roles as a member of the Central Political Bureau and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
During his stay in North Korea, Wang is expected to hold bilateral talks with Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, focusing on bilateral relations and international affairs.
While Pyongyang has not disclosed specific details about the visit, analysts view it as a significant step in accelerating the restoration of North Korea-China relations. This aligns with the recent trend of resumed exchanges between the two nations, including the revival of diplomatic correspondence between their leaders in February and increased civilian interactions.
A tangible sign of improving relations is the recent resumption of the Beijing-Pyongyang passenger train service, which had been suspended for about six years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although temporarily halted, plans for the reinstatement of direct flights by China’s state-owned Air China have also been announced, further indicating a recovery in people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
The North Korea-China relationship had been relatively stagnant since Kim Jong Un and President Xi Jinping’s meeting in Beijing last September, which marked the 80th anniversary of China’s victory in World War II. However, recent developments, including the resumption of exchanges and high-level contacts, clearly demonstrate a trend towards relationship restoration.
Some experts speculate that a North Korea-China summit might be in the works, potentially coinciding with the U.S.-China summit. This timing could be strategic, as there’s a possibility of U.S.-North Korea communication during President Donald Trump’s visit to China. By strengthening their alliance, North Korea and China could potentially limit the U.S.’s diplomatic maneuverability.
Professor Lim Eum-chul from Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies commented that it can’t rule out the possibility of a meeting between Kim and Xi ahead of Trump’s visit to China.
Lim added that given Trump’s continued interest in meeting with Kim, he’s likely to request China’s assistance in arranging such a meeting. In this context, it can expect significant and in-depth discussions to take place during Wang’s visit to North Korea.
