China’s No 3 official Zhao Leji to lead delegation to North Korea on ‘goodwill visit’
- Zhao, a Politburo Standing Committee member and the country’s top lawmaker, is expected to hold talks with Pyongyang officials
- It will be the latest high-level exchange between the two sides and comes as tensions have been running high on the Korean peninsula
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning confirmed on Tuesday that Zhao – China’s third-highest ranking official – would lead a group of party and government officials on a “goodwill visit” to North Korea.
She said the delegation would attend the opening ceremony of the “China-North Korea Friendship Year”, which will mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Beijing and Pyongyang.
Details of Zhao’s visit were still being discussed, according to Mao. He is expected to meet North Korean officials for high-level talks.
Mao said the visit “demonstrates the deep friendship between the two countries” and the importance Beijing attaches to their bilateral relations.
“It is believed that with the joint efforts of both sides, this visit will surely be a success and will further promote the deepening and development of China-North Korea relations,” she said, adding that Zhao had been invited to visit by Pyongyang’s ruling party.
