Chinese vice foreign minister meets with Choe Son Hui in Pyongyang

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui in Pyongyang on Friday to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation for common core interests, North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said Saturday. China has thus been trying to manage its relations with North Korea lately amid strengthening ties between Moscow and Pyongyang. However, North Korean media stopped short of mentioning, among others, that they had coordinated mutual visits by their heads of state to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Unlike Russia, which is stepping up its cooperation with North Korea in the military and other areas, China intends to keep the lines of communication open with North Korea and manage them first.

On the day of his meeting with Choe, Sun also discussed holding vice-ministerial-level talks with his North Korean counterpart, Park Myong Ho, to discuss exchanges. "The two sides agreed on a schedule of key events in the wake of Sino-DPRK Friendship Year," the Chinese foreign ministry also said, "And the two sides decided to deepen traditional friendship and practical cooperation to further develop Sino-DPRK relations." However, it is unknown if Sun met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his three-day visit to Pyongyang from Thursday. On Sunday, North Korean state media reported that a delegation from the North’s Ministry of Sports, headed by Sports Minister Kim Il Kuk, left for China on Saturday, the day the Chinese delegation led by Sun departed for China.

Pyongyang sent a ministerial-level official to Russia this year. Choe met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and reportedly coordinated a schedule for Putin's visit to North Korea. On the other hand, North Korea sent Park Myong-ho, a vice minister, to Beijing last December. No ministerial meetings between North Korea and China have taken place this year.


yea@donga.com