Ministry of Unification: "Possibility of Normalizing North Korea-China Relations Following Zhao Lijian's Visit to North Korea"

Zhao Lijie, 3rd in Official Chinese Hierarchy
Attends 'Year of North Korea-China Friendship' Opening Ceremony
Scheduled North Korea Visit from 11th to 13th

The Ministry of Unification anticipated that North Korea-China relations could be fully normalized with the visit to North Korea by Zhao Leji (趙樂際), the third-ranking official in China's official hierarchy and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC). Chairman Zhao is scheduled to visit North Korea from the 11th to the 13th to attend the opening ceremony of the "Year of North Korea-China Friendship."

On the 11th, a Ministry of Unification official told reporters that when asked whether Chairman Zhao's visit was a preparatory step for a summit between the leaders of North Korea and China, the official said, "Since this year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations and has been designated as the Year of North Korea-China Friendship, various exchanges are expected."

The official added, "We see the Year of North Korea-China Friendship as an opportunity for the North Korea-China relationship to be more fully restored." He continued, "We need to observe tangible measures of improvement between the two countries, such as the complete reopening of the North Korea-China border and whether general Chinese tourists will resume visits to North Korea afterward."

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping held two summits in 2019, traveling between the two countries, but high-level exchanges ceased after the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. Compared to last year, when North Korea and Russia rapidly grew closer, North Korea-China relations have been relatively distant, leading to analyses that China might be distancing itself from North Korea, which has faced international criticism due to continuous provocations.

However, this year, the two countries have gradually increased the level of high-level meetings, and with Chairman Zhao Leji's visit to North Korea now confirmed, it is expected that discussions for a summit between the two leaders may be actively underway.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.