China's Li to visit N. Korea to attend key ruling party anniversary
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, right, meets with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Sept. 29. AP-Yonhap
Chinese Premier Li Qiang will make a three-day "goodwill" visit to North Korea this week to attend the North's commemorative events to mark the 80th founding anniversary of its ruling party, the North's state media said Tuesday.
Li will lead a Chinese delegation to take part in the celebrations of the founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) at the invitation of North Korea, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Li's delegation will pay "an official goodwill visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at the invitation of the Central Committee of the WPK and the DPRK government," the KCNA said in a report.
North Korea celebrates its ruling party's foundation anniversary on Oct. 10 every year, which falls on Friday this year.
China's foreign ministry also said Li will pay an official visit to North Korea from Thursday to Saturday, leading a party and government delegation.
In 2015, China sent a delegation led by Liu Yunshan, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and considered the country's fifth-highest ranking official at the time, for the North's celebrations of its 70th ruling party anniversary.
This week's commemorations are also set to be attended by high-ranking officials from other countries, including Vietnam's top leader To Lam and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who now serves as the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council.
Li's visit comes as Pyongyang and Beijing appear to be warming ties, recently highlighted by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's visit to China last month to attend the country's military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Late last month, Li also met North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui for talks in Beijing.
North Korea is expected to hold a large-scale military parade to celebrate its party anniversary this week. The South Korean military earlier said the North may stage a nighttime parade involving tens of thousands of personnel.