Chinese official to lead arts troupe to North Korea as nations continue their nuclear ‘dance’
As Kim Jung-un prepares for key summits with the US and South Korea, China is keen to maintain its place at the top table
A senior Chinese diplomat will visit North Korea on Friday, in a further sign of improving ties between Beijing and Pyongyang following Kim Jong-un’s landmark visit to the Chinese capital last month.
Song Tao, the head of the Communist Party’s International Department, will lead an arts troupe that will take part in the April Spring Friendship Art Festival, Xinhua reported on Wednesday.
The visit will be Song’s second to the reclusive state in five months, and comes amid a resumption of high-level exchanges designed to repair strained ties over Pyongyang’s nuclear brinkmanship, and just weeks ahead of Kim’s planned meetings with his US and South Korean counterparts.
On Monday, Kim gave a “profound analysis and appraisal” of the prospects for his upcoming summits with Presidents Donald Trump and Moon Jae-in at a meeting with senior members of his ruling Workers’ Party of Korea.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency confirmed Song’s visit, saying it would elevate friendly bilateral relations “onto a new high stage” following Kim’s “historic visit to China”.
“The Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea will warmly welcome the artists of the friendly neighbouring country and specially greet them,” it said.