Speculation mounted over a top North Korean military official’s visit to China Thursday, as few details of his meetings were made available.
Choe Ryong-Hae, a vice marshal and the director of the Korean People’s Army’s General Political Bureau, arrived in Beijing Wednesday and was described by Pyongyang’s official news agency as a “special envoy” of leader Kim Jong-Un.
He is said to be a close confidant of Kim and believed to be the highest-ranking North Korean to visit China — Pyongyang’s sole major ally and key economic benefactor — since Kim’s late father and predecessor Kim Jong-Il in August 2011.
Relations between China and North Korea have taken a downturn in recent months in the face of escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula after Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile tests, which saw international sanctions tightened.
Armed North Koreans also detained a Chinese boat with 16 sailors on board earlier this month.
Choe’s only publicly declared meeting so far was on Wednesday with Wang Jiarui, head of the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s International Department, which Beijing said was to “exchange views” on “issues of common interest”.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei gave no additional details at a regular briefing Thursday, saying: “I think the competent authorities will release further information about his visit.”
The state-run Global Times newspaper quoted Zhu Feng, a professor at Peking University, as saying limited coverage by the official Xinhua news agency suggested the trip may be a difficult one.
The Shanghai Morning Post quoted Zheng Hao, a commentator for Hong Kong-based Phoenix television, as saying the length of Choe’s sojourn was a key factor.
“The longer it is, the higher ranking the Chinese figures will be,” he said. “If it’s very short and he doesn’t meet high-level officials, then the visit will be a failure.”
According to the paper Zhang Liangui, a professor at the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee school, said Wednesday’s meeting had no special significance as all previous visiting North Koreans were received by the party’s international department.
Choe’s trip comes ahead of a flurry of high-level diplomacy involving China and other key players.
President Xi Jinping is scheduled to meet US President Barack Obama on June 7-8 in the United States for their first summit.
Hong, the foreign ministry spokesman, confirmed that South Korea’s new president will pay a state visit to China in late June.
“We believe that President Park Geun-Hye’s state visit to China will bring China-Republic of Korea relations to a new and higher level,” he said, using the South’s official name.
Speculation over N. Korea envoy's China trip
