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Khushboo Razdan

Amber Wang

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the Chinese border city of Dandong on Saturday, with both sides underlining their traditional friendship and calling to boost cooperation.
The trip, Kim’s first visit to China in more than a year, comes ahead of next month’s Apec summit in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, where Donald Trump and other world leaders are expected to gather.
He was welcomed and accompanied on his trip by Wang Huning, China’s fourth-ranked official, according to state news agency Xinhua.
Wang called on the two countries to expand people-to-people exchanges and economic and trade cooperation, as well as “strengthen strategic communication and coordination, and foster a peaceful and stable external environment”, so as to safeguard their “respective sovereignty, security and development interests”.
Kim’s one-day visit, which had not been announced in advance, took place on the eve of the official anniversary marking the entry of Chinese troops into the Korean war in 1950.
Dandong served as the primary gateway for Chinese forces as they crossed the Yalu River into North Korea during the war.


Wang welcomed Kim at the Memorial Hall of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, where the North Korean leader laid a floral tribute.
Kim then inspected some of the wartime artefacts on display at the memorial hall, which commemorates how the two allies fought side by side.
Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s greetings and best wishes to Kim, Xinhua said.
During their meeting, Wang noted that Kim’s special visit to Dandong – marking the 76th anniversary of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army entering the war – underscored the great value North Korea placed on bilateral friendship.
“It fully reflects the importance that the North Korean party and government attach to the blood-forged friendship between China and North Korea. It not only continues the traditional friendship between China and North Korea [and] consolidates friendly public opinion, but also deepens political mutual trust and seeks common cooperation and development, which is of great significance,” Wang was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
Wang also accompanied Kim on a visit to a Dandong car factory in the afternoon.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended all of Saturday’s events, according to Xinhua.
Later in the day, both Wang Huning and Wang Yi accompanied Kim as he left Dandong via the New Yalu River Bridge, Xinhua said.
At the bridge’s opening ceremony last week, Chinese Premier Li Qiang reaffirmed Beijing’s support for Pyongyang and said both countries should improve connectivity.

The 3km (1.8-mile) bridge was intended to increase trade and connectivity between China and North Korea, and was completed in 2014.
However, it remained closed for more than a decade because North Korea delayed work on its approach roads and facilities.
The four-lane bridge connects Dandong in the northeastern province of Liaoning with the North Korean border city of Sinuiju.
Kim’s brief visit came just days ahead of the fifth plenum of the Communist Party’s 20th Central Committee in Beijing next week, a key political meeting ahead of the leadership reshuffle next autumn.
Kim expressed his wishes for the success of the fifth plenum during his meeting with Wang Huning, adding that his country was willing to work with China to “expand practical cooperation”, according to Xinhua.
The North Korean media has not released any statement on Kim’s visit.
The timing of the visit is significant, coming just weeks ahead of the November 18-19 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Both Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin are expected to attend and each has voiced interest in holding three-way talks with China.
Trump has indicated he is open to talks focused on nuclear weapons and denuclearisation, while Putin has floated the idea of using such a gathering to discuss the war in Ukraine.
Trump has also said he wants to meet Kim again. The pair met three times during Trump’s first term but failed to achieve any breakthrough.
The South China Morning Post reported last month that China was willing to help facilitate a fourth Trump-Kim encounter, as Beijing seeks a more active role in Korean peninsula diplomacy after years of being sidelined.
Kim’s last trip to China was in September last year, when he and Putin visited Beijing for a parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japan in World War II.


Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a two-day visit to North Korea in June, his first in seven years.
During the trip, both leaders pledged to strengthen strategic cooperation and defend each other’s sovereignty, vowing to “open a new chapter” in relations and expand political, economic and cultural exchanges.


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China-North Korea relations

Wang Huning (second right)  sees off Kim Jong-un at the New Yalu River Bridge following the North Korean leader’s visit to Dandong. Foreign Minister Wang Yi (third right) attended all of Saturday’s events. Photo: Xinhua

Wang Huning (left) welcomes Kim Jong-un at a memorial hall commemorating the Korean war. Photo: CCTV

Kim Jong-un offers a floral tribute at the Monument to the War to Resist US  Aggression and Aid Korea. Photo: Xinhua 

US holds ‘unusual’ civil-military meeting in Tokyo ahead of Trump’s China trip

Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of US Indo-Pacific Command (second from right), briefs senior American officials at the US naval base in Yokosuka, Japan, on October 9. Photo: Handout

US Ambassador to Japan George Glass (standing) hosted the closed-door sessions in Tokyo that ran from October 7 to 9. Photo: Getty Images via AFP

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi attended the gathering of US ambassadors and other senior American officials in Tokyo, Japan, on October 8. Photo: Handout

US Ambassador to China David Perdue was among the attendees in Tokyo. Photo: Getty Images via AFP

The New Yalu River Bridge between the two countries was completed in 2014. Photo: Reuters

News

China

Diplomacy

One-day trip comes weeks before Apec forum in China, with Trump and Putin set to attend. Trump has also said he wants to meet Kim again


One-day trip comes weeks before Apec forum in China, with Trump and Putin set to attend. Trump has also said he wants to meet Kim again.


North Korea

Shenzhen

Kim Jong-un

Xi Jinping

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pays unexpected visit to Chinese border city of Dandong

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}One-day trip comes weeks before Apec forum in China, with Trump and Putin set to attend. Trump has also said he wants to meet Kim again

One-day trip comes weeks before Apec forum in China, with Trump and Putin set to attend. Trump has also said he wants to meet Kim again