Overview
- Kim Jong Un, who met Wang Yi in Pyongyang on Friday, said North Korea would prioritize high-level exchanges and strategic communication with China.
- Wang and Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui agreed to deepen practical cooperation, step up coordination between their foreign-policy offices, and hold events for the 65th anniversary of their 1961 defense pact.
- North Korea’s KCNA quoted Wang as saying the United States and Western forces are trying to isolate Pyongyang and that the country has made new achievements despite that pressure.
- With Air China flights restarting last week and daily Beijing–Pyongyang trains back since March, cross-border commerce has clearer channels after Chinese exports to the North reached about $2.3 billion last year.
- The diplomatic thaw is being closely watched before a mid-May summit between Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump, with some outlets noting speculation about a possible U.S.–North Korea opening that remains unconfirmed.