Chinese official talks with North Korean counterpart in the nations’ highest-level meeting in years

A top Chinese official arrived in North Korea and held talks on how to boost their cooperation, North Korea’s state media reported Friday.

SEOUL, South Korea — A top Chinese official arrived in North Korea and held talks on how to strengthen their cooperation, North Korea’s state media reported Friday, in the countries’ highest-level meeting in about five years.

Zhao Leji, who is chairman of China’s National People’s Congress and considered the No. 3 official in the ruling Communist Party, arrived in North Korea on Thursday. China’s government earlier said he would stay in North Korea until Saturday.

Zhao met his North Korean counterpart, Choe Ryong Hae, later Thursday and discussed how to promote exchanges and cooperation in all areas including politics, economy and culture, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency reported.

The two also exchanged views on unspecified regional and international issues of mutual concern, KCNA said.

Zhao is one of the seven members of the Politburo Standing Committee, the Communist Party’s top leadership body headed by Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Zhao’s visit to North Korea marked the first bilateral exchange involving a Chinese Politburo Standing Committee member since the coronavirus pandemic started. In 2019, the two countries held two summit meetings between Xi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/china-north-korea-official-talks-rcna147523

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