State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday for a two-day visit to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Later on Wednesday, Wang met with DPRK Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho.
During Wang’s stay in the DPRK, the two sides will embark on in-depth exchanges of views about their relationship as well as the Korean Peninsula situation, according to the Foreign Ministry.
Officials and experts said the trip, coming after Friday’s summit between DPRK leader Kim Jong-un and Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in, will boost coordination between China and the DPRK and help keep the thawing Korean Peninsula situation on track.
The trip serves as a key measure taken by both sides to put into action the consensus made by the two countries’ top leaders, reinforce high-level exchanges and improve strategic-level communication, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.
China is glad to see that the tense situation on the peninsula is easing and developing in a good direction, the spokeswoman said at a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday.
Beijing looks forward to working with all parties involved to reinforce the existing positive momentum of the situation and further contribute to fundamentally resolving the peninsula issue, Hua said.
Hua reiterated China’s commitment to denuclearizing the peninsula, championing its peace and stability and seeking solutions through dialogue and consultation.
In March, Kim made an unofficial visit to China.
Senior officials from both sides including Wang and DPRK Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho, have publicly pledged to implement the consensus reached by Kim and President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.
Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said Wang’s
trip will gear up bilateral efforts in fulfilling the two top leaders’ consensus, including boosting ties, pushing for the peaceful settlement of the peninsula nuclear issue and maintaining high-level exchanges between the two countries.
“It is of great importance for Beijing and Pyongyang to strengthen their strategic level communication because the peninsula situation is undergoing remarkable changes and is developing rapidly almost every day,” Ruan said.
Wang’s trip will also play a key role in advancing the peninsula’s denuclearization process, Ruan said.
