North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui met China’s top diplomat Wang Yi in Beijing on Sunday, marking her second visit to the Chinese capital in a month, state media from both countries reported.
Wang told Choe that Beijing was “willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in international and regional affairs,” according to a statement from China’s foreign ministry.
Choe delivered a message from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that the two countries’ relationship was “unchanging” and should develop to meet “the demands of the times,” North Korea’s KCNA reported.
At their summit earlier this month on the sidelines of a massive military parade in Beijing attended by Kim, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the two leaders outlined the direction for the bilateral relationship, KCNA said.
Wang told Choe that the Communist Party-led neighbours should step up exchanges on governance, while also briefing her on China’s domestic situation, according to the Chinese readout.
Kim told Xi during his September visit that Pyongyang would continue supporting Beijing in protecting its sovereignty, KCNA reported.
The meeting came ahead of Xi’s expected trip to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju from 31 October to 1 November. Seoul also believes U.S. President Donald Trump is likely to attend, though Washington has not confirmed his participation.
