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Minnie Chan

Communist Party chief Xi Jinping sent congratulations to his North Korea counterpart Kim Jong-un as Beijing's senior envoy Liu Yunshan arrived in Pyongyang yesterday to attend the ruling Workers' Party's 70th anniversary.
Xi said he hoped to make joint efforts with Pyongyang "to maintain, consolidate and develop the friendship" between the countries "so as to play a positive and constructive role in maintaining regional as well as world peace."
READ MORE: North Korea says that a "special envoy" for leader Kim Jong-un has left for China
Ties between Beijing and Pyongyang have improved after a prolonged period of strain caused by Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes.
Last month, Xi sent a congratulatory message to Kim for the 67th anniversary of the establishment of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on September 9, 1948.
Watch: North Korea primes its Pyongyang for military celebration

Liu, the Communist Party's fifth-ranked leader, will take part in events marking the Workers' Party anniversary and is likely to hold talks with Kim.
Mainland-based international public affairs experts said Liu's trip would focus on enhancing diplomatic, economic and trade ties.

"Liu will raise China's concern on North Korea's development of nuclear weapons as divergence between Beijing and Pyongyang on this issue has increased since the DPRK had its third nuclear test in 2013," Cui Zhiying, a professor of Korean affairs at Tongji University in Shanghai, said.
Xinhua said Liu's visit would last four days.
This is the first time China has sent someone from the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee to North Korea since Kim Jong-un took over in December 2011.
The last confirmed visit by a member of China's top circle of power was in October 2011 when Premier Li Keqiang , then vice-premier, paid a three-day official goodwill visit.
[We should] maintain, consolidate and develop the friendship
Xi Jinping
North Korean watchers are paying attention to see if the visit by Liu will pave the way for a dramatic improvement in relations.
Gao Haikuan, a specialist in Northeast Asian security with the Chinese Association for International Friendly Contact, said China would continue providing reasonable economic and trading support to North Korea even though Beijing had agreed that Kim was an elusive negotiator.
"Liu is responsible for party affairs, he will send Beijing's message to consolidate the relationship with Pyongyang's Workers' Party of Korea, because stable bilateral ties will help China to push denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsular," he said.
The celebrations for the anniversary include a military parade featuring tens of thousands of soldiers, tanks and weapons, and citizens who will extol the North Korean party's achievements and display their loyalty to Kim.
Additional reporting by Kyodo


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North Korea

Let's be friends and help world peace, Chinese president Xi Jinping tells Kim Jong-un

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un waves to a crowd from a bus while inspecting a newly-built village at Paekhak-dong in Sonbong District. Photo: AFP

Communist Party chief Xi Jinping has sent congratulations to his North Korea counterpart Kim Jong-un on the Workers' Party anniversary. Photo: Reuters

Rising star of Kim Jong-un’s little sister Kim Yo-jong

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un tours the Sichon Museum of United States War Atrocities accompanied by his younger sister Kim Yo-jong (background). Photo: AP

Kim Jong-un shows he's in control on anniversary of Kim Jong-il death

A screen grab from North Korean television shows Kim Jong-un (centre, right) paying tribute to Kim Jong-il on the second anniversary of his father's death. Photo: EPA

Kim Jong-un. Photo: Reuters

Kim Kyong-hui (right), and her nephew Kim Jong-un (right) along with another official, are pictured at a ceremony in February this year. Kim Kyong-hui's husband has been executed for treason. Photo: AP

A picture released by the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Tuesday shows Choe Ryong-hae (centre), the director of the General Political Bureau of the North Korean People's Army (KPA), reading a statement during a rally at the plaza of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang Photo: EPA

In images taken from video, North Korean military attend an event in Pyongyang yesterday to mark the second anniversary of the death of former leader Kim Jong-il. Photo: AP

North Korean civilians at an event to commemorate former leader Kim Jong-il. Photo: AP

News

China

Diplomacy

Beijing has sent senior envoy to Pyongyang for anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party
