Wednesday 19 June 2013

CHINA AND NORTH KOREA

Bangkok Post

CHINA, NKOREA HOLD 'STRATEGIC DIALOGUE': OFFICIALS

Bangkok Post, June 19, 2013

A high-ranking North Korean official with long experience as his country's international nuclear negotiator held talks Wednesday with Chinese officials, Beijing's foreign ministry announced.

North Korean first vice foreign minister Kim Kye-Gwan and Chinese vice foreign minister Zhang Yesui co-chaired a "strategic dialogue" meeting between their ministries in the Chinese capital, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

"The two sides exchanged views on China-DPRK relations and the situation on the Korean peninsula," she told a regular briefing, referring to North Korea by the acronym of its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Kim also met Wu Dawei, China's special envoy for Korean peninsula affairs, Hua said.

The talks come amid ongoing tensions on the peninsula over the North's nuclear programme and mark the second high-level visit to China in less than a month by a North Korean official.

The visit also coincides with talks in Seoul on Wednesday and Thursday between United Nations' chief Ban Ki-moon and Chinese leaders.

China has come under pressure to encourage North Korea to halt its nuclear programme after the reclusive nation in February carried out its third underground nuclear test, which brought worldwide condemnation.

(...) [article here]

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