A senior Chinese official visiting South Korea said on Thursday North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's visit to Beijing this week should help ease tensions and lead to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.
A senior Chinese official visiting South Korea said on Thursday North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's visit to Beijing this week should help ease tensions and lead to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.
"We believe (Kim's) visit will help the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, ensure peace and security of the Korean peninsula and resolve problems regarding the peninsula through political negotiations and discussions," Yang Jiechi said in opening remarks during a meeting with South Korea's National Security Office head, Chung Eui-yong.
Yang is expected to meet other security and diplomatic officials and brief them on Kim's visit. The Chinese envoy is also scheduled to meet President Moon Jae-in on Friday.
Kim paid a four-day unofficial visit -- from Sunday to Wednesday -- to Beijing at the invitation of Xi, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Kim reportedly arrived in China by a special train from across the border and left in the same train yesterday.
During the visit, which was kept under wraps, Xi held talks with Kim at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan held a welcoming banquet for Kim and his wife Ri Sol Ju and watched an art performance together, the report said.
Premier Li Keqiang, Vice-President Wang Qishan and other top leaders of the ruling Chinese Communist Party of China, (CPC) attended related activities, respectively, it said.
During the talks, Xi welcomed Kim warmly and appreciated his congratulatory message greeting him for his re-election as the General Secretary of
CPC and head of the military as well as president for the second five-year term, the report said.
Xi said Kim's current visit to China had come "at a special time" and was of great significance.
"We speak highly of this visit," Xi told Kim.
For his part, Kim said a series of major and happy events had taken place consecutively in China recently and referred Xi's re-election for the second term.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "North Korea and China")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}