New | China still keen on North Korea exchanges despite no-show by Kim Jong-un’s hand-picked Moranbong girl band
China wants to keep pushing ahead with cultural exchanges with North Korea, China’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday, after an all-female North Korean pop group formed by leader Kim Jong Un abruptly cancelled a Beijing concert and went home.
The Moranbong Band was visiting China along with North Korea’s State Merited Chorus and was to perform at Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts last Saturday.
READ MORE: Beijing no-show by N Korean leader’s hand-picked pop band points to diplomatic rift with China: analysts
China’s official Xinhua news agency said the performance could not be staged because of “communication issues at the working level”.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news briefing he had nothing to add to the Xinhua report.
“China pays great attention to cultural exchanges with North Korea and is willing along with North Korea to keeping pushing cooperation forward on all levels, including cultural exchanges,” Hong said, without elaborating.
Speculation has swirled about the reason for the cancellation.
