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| ▲ This file photo, taken July 25, 2011, shows Liu Guozhong, currently serving as vice premier of the State Council of China, speaking at an economic event in Seoul. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C), alongside Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (L) and Chinese Communist Party politburo member Li Hongzhong (R), observes a military parade at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang on July 27, 2023, to mark the 70th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that halted the 1950-53 Korean War, in this photo released the next day by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) |
(2nd LD) N Korea-China-founding anniversary
(2nd LD) Chinese delegation to visit N. Korea for celebrations of founding anniv.
(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with more details throughout)
By Kim Soo-yeon
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- A Chinese delegation, led by Vice Premier Liu Guozhong, will visit North Korea this week to participate in celebrations of the 75th founding anniversary of the North Korean regime, Pyongyang's state media said Thursday.
The Chinese delegation of party and government officials will visit North Korea to attend events to mark the anniversary at the invitation of the North's ruling Workers' Party and the government, according to the Korean Central News Agency.
North Korea is set to mark the 75th anniversary of its founding on Saturday, with a militia parade scheduled for celebrations.
The announcement came amid a report that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may travel to Vladivostok for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week amid suspected arms transactions between Pyongyang and Moscow.
South Korea's unification ministry said Liu's planned visit indicates North Korea is trying to expand economic cooperation with China, while bolstering its military cooperation with Russia.
Liu, a Chinese Communist Party politburo member and vice premier of the State Council of China, had served as governor of Jilin Province bordering North Korea.
"Given that he has a good understanding of North Korean issues and is currently in charge of economic affairs, North Korea and China appear to focus their ties on economic cooperation," a ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
In 2018, North Korea sent a delegation, led by Li Zhanshu, then head of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, to celebrations of North Korea's 70th founding anniversary. His status at the communist party was higher than Liu's current one.
"China could not fully welcome deepening cooperation between North Korea and Russia, as Seoul, Washington and Tokyo will likely bolster their cooperation, mounting pressure on Beijing," the ministry official said of China's sending of an official at a lower level.
China and Russia sent their respective delegations in late July to North Korea to attend events to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War armistice, called Victory Day in the North.
Flanked by Russia's defense minister and a senior Chinese official, the North's leader Kim watched a military parade, displaying solidarity with Beijing and Moscow vis-a-vis the strengthening of three-way security cooperation among Seoul, Washington and Tokyo.
A report of Kim's possible trip to Russia spawns speculation that North Korea may provide artillery shells and other weaponry to Russia for use in Moscow's war with Ukraine in exchange for a weapons-related technology transfer from Russia, such as a spy satellite.
(END)
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