China's top official Wang Huning leads delegation to North Korea, reaffirming bilateral ties

Wang Huning, the Chinese Communist Party’s fourth‑ranking official, arrived in Pyongyang leading a senior party and government delegation. He met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Workers’ Party official Jo Yong Won to mark the 65th anniversary of the 1961 Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance. Both sides said they would implement the agreements reached during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s June visit, with Wang quoting “the will of the Chinese party and the government” and Kim stressing a “steadfast policy” to expand traditional friendship and cooperation.

The talks covered strategic communication, tactical cooperation, public‑welfare projects and deeper collaboration in business, culture and party affairs. Analysts note the visits aim to reinforce China’s influence on the Korean Peninsula as North Korea deepens its ties with Russia, while China remains Pyongyang’s largest economic partner.