North Korea: "North Korean and Chinese Foreign Ministers Reach Complete Consensus on International and Regional Issues"

North Korea and China's foreign ministers held talks on the 28th, during which they "exchanged in-depth views on international and regional issues and reached a complete consensus," the Korean Central News Agency reported on the 29th.

Choe Son Hui, North Korea's Foreign Minister, departed Pyongyang on the 27th by a chartered plane to visit China, reported the Korean Central News Agency on the 28th. 2025.9.28 Yonhap News

According to the Korean Central News Agency, Choe Son Hui, North Korea's Foreign Minister, met with Wang Yi, China's Foreign Minister, in Beijing the previous day. The talks were attended by Ri Yong Nam, North Korea's ambassador to China, and Sun Weidong, Vice Minister of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The news of the meeting was also published in Rodong Sinmun, which is read by North Korean citizens.

The Korean Central News Agency did not specify the details of the "international and regional issues" discussed by the North Korean and Chinese foreign ministers. However, as both U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to visit South Korea simultaneously at the end of next month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, it is believed that related response measures may have been discussed.

Yang Moojin, a distinguished professor at the University of North Korean Studies, commented, "It is likely that North Korea and China consulted on North Korea's policy toward the United States and the resumption of North Korea-U.S. dialogue." He added, "In response to the three-phase North Korean denuclearization discussions between South Korea and the United States, North Korea may have discussed issues such as holding disarmament talks as a nuclear-armed state, suspending South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises and U.S. strategic assets, and ensuring China's regional security interests." He further noted that "China aims to demonstrate its influence over North Korea and exert pressure on the United States through cooperation with North Korea."

In particular, whether a North Korea-U.S. summit will take place on the sidelines of the upcoming APEC meeting in Gyeongju is drawing the most attention. North Korea has previously shown a tendency to consult with its traditional ally China before engaging in contact with the United States. Recently, there have been signs of a shift in the government's outlook regarding the resumption of North Korea-U.S. dialogue. On August 29, Wi Sunglak, Director of the National Security Office, appeared on a radio program and dismissed the likelihood of North Korea-U.S. talks, saying, "It is actually more constructive not to set expectations too high." However, on September 26 (local time) in New York, a senior government official well-versed in diplomacy told Korean correspondents, "We cannot rule out the possibility."

Meanwhile, it appears that Foreign Minister Choe may have used this solo visit to China as an opportunity to invite President Xi to North Korea for the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party (October 10, Double Ten Day) next month. However, the Korean Central News Agency report did not directly mention this, only quoting Minister Wang Yi as saying, "It is necessary to strengthen strategic communication between the two sides, promote mutual visits and cooperation, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability."

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