North Korea’s new top envoy sat down with his Chinese counterpart in Vientiane on Monday with relations between Pyongyang and Beijing on edge as North Korea pursues its internationally condemned nuclear programme.
North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho was making his first appearance at a major diplomatic gathering in his new role.
US Secretary of State John Kerry also held talks with ally South Korea,with both sides describing ties as closer than ever in the face of Pyongyang’s sabre-rattling.
“This is the right time for us to send out a very clear and strong message to North Korea that our alliance is stronger, deeper and broader than ever,” Seoul’s Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said after a sitdown with Kerry.
South Korea’s President Park calls for unity over ‘inevitable’ THAAD deployment
Little emerged from Ri’s meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. “The meeting was held as part of the two countries’ normal communication process,” an unnamed North Korean official said.