Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met his North Korean counterpart Choe Son-hui in Pyongyang to discuss strengthening bilateral ties. Wang proposed enhancing strategic communication and exchanges, while Choe described their relations as deep and solid. The talks follow last year's summit between their leaders and precede 65th anniversary events for their friendship treaty.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Pyongyang on April 9, 2026 (Thursday) for a two-day visit, his first to North Korea since September 2019 at the invitation of the North's foreign ministry. During talks with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, Wang said Beijing stands ready to work with Pyongyang to further strengthen bilateral relations, according to Xinhua News Agency. He proposed strengthening strategic communication, consolidating positive momentum, enhancing high-level exchanges, deepening dialogue and practical cooperation, and promoting people-to-people exchanges.
Choe responded that their relations are deep, solid, and sustainable, and promoting ties is Pyongyang's unwavering position. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Choe said bilateral ties have advanced to a "higher new level" following last year's summit between Kim Jong-un and Xi Jinping in Beijing. She pledged to deepen friendship under their "common ideology of socialism in accordance with the aspirations and interests of the people."
Wang described the Xi-Kim meeting as a "historic" one that provided "landmark" guidelines for elevating ties. "It is the unwavering intention of the Chinese party and government to greatly safeguard, solidify and develop China-North Korea friendship, regardless of how the international situation changes," KCNA quoted him as saying. The ministers agreed to boost exchanges and cooperation for the 65th anniversary of their Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance and to strengthen strategic communication between foreign policy bodies.
Wang is expected to pay a courtesy call on Kim Jong-un and deliver a message from Xi Jinping. The visit precedes U.S. President Donald Trump's planned trip to China next month amid speculation of a possible Trump-Kim meeting. The two nations have resumed direct rail and air links for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, signaling efforts to mend ties strained by North Korea's alignment with Russia.
