Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, poses for photos with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on Sept. 4. [AP/YONHAP]

Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, poses for photos with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on Sept. 4. [AP/YONHAP]

 
North Korea and China’s top diplomats exchanged opinions on international and regional matters and reached a “complete consensus,” North Korean state media reported Monday.
 
Choe Son-hui, North Korea’s foreign minister, met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Sunday, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). 
 
 
While the report did not specify the matters of agreement, the two sides are likely to have discussed a possible resumption of U.S.-North Korea talks or the upcoming summit meetings involving Korea, China and the United States expected to take place during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju in October.
 
During the meeting, Choe said the military parade held earlier this month to mark the 80th anniversary of China’s victory in World War II demonstrated the historic achievements of China, as well as its capabilities and status in the international community, according to the KCNA.
 
She added that the recent summit between the two countries’ top leaders took place at a time of great change in the domestic and international environments of both countries and in the global political landscape, and that it laid out how the relationship between the two nations will develop.
 
Choe also conveyed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s intention to develop bilateral ties in a way that meets the demands of the times.
 

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui [YONHAP]

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui [YONHAP]

 
Wang described Choe’s visit as the first visit by a senior Democratic People’s Republic of Korea delegation following Kim’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to KCNA. He emphasized that the leaders’ meeting, the first in six years, provided a road map and direction for taking bilateral relations to the next step.
 
Wang added that it was essential to use the shared understanding between the two leaders as a fundamental guideline, strengthen strategic communication between the two sides, promote mutual visits and cooperation and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability. He also expressed China’s willingness to actively pursue high-level exchanges.
 
Choe arrived in Beijing on Saturday at Wang’s invitation and is scheduled to stay until Tuesday. This marks her first solo visit to China as foreign minister. Earlier this month, she accompanied Kim Jong-un on a state visit to attend the 80th anniversary parade.
 
Amid preparations in Pyongyang for a massive military parade on Oct. 10 to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea, speculation is growing that a high-ranking Chinese official could attend the event. Some observers believe that Xi’s possible visit to North Korea may also have been discussed during the meeting.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM EUN-BIN [[email protected]]