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China's foreign minister to visit N. Korea April 9-10: KCNA
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, right, shakes hands with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son-hui, during their meeting in Beijing, Sept. 28. Captured from CGTN's social mediaChina's Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit North Korea this week, the North's state media reported Wednesday, in a trip that comes ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's planned visit to China in May.The Chinese foreign minister will travel to North Korea from Thursday to Friday at the invitation of the North's foreign ministry, the Korean Central News Agency said, without providing further details.The upcoming visit will mark Wang's first trip to North Korea since September 2019 and is expected to include a meeting with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui. The two last held talks in Beijing in September last year.Wang is also likely to pay a courtesy call on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.The trip also comes ahead of Trump's planned visit to China next month for talks with President Xi Jinping, amid speculation that Trump may seek to meet Kim during the trip.The visit comes as North Korea and China recently resumed direct rail and flight services between them for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of efforts to improve ties frayed by Pyongyang's alignment with Russia.
China resumes flights to North Korea after six-year pause
China has resumed direct passenger flights to North Korea for the first time in six years, marking a cautious step toward reopening one of the world’s most isolated countries after prolonged pandemic-era border closures. The restart of the Beijing-Pyongyang route by Air China on 30 March 2026 signals a gradual easing of restrictions between China and North Korea, although travel remains tightly controlled and far from fully restored.The weekly service connects Beijing with Pyongyang, operating under flight numbers CA121 and CA122. The route had been suspended in early 2020 as North Korea sealed its borders at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, cutting off nearly all international transport links.The resumption follows a series of cautious moves by Pyongyang to reconnect with its main ally and trading partner. In March, cross-border passenger train services between China and North Korea were also restored, indicating a broader effort to revive limited mobility after years of near-total isolation. Before the pandemic, Chinese visitors accounted for the vast majority of international arrivals to North Korea, making air links between the two countries important for both tourism and trade. The return of flights is expected to support business travel and official delegations, though large-scale tourism has not yet resumed.Limited access for travellersDespite the restored air service, access to North Korea remains highly restricted. Foreign tourism is still largely suspended, and travel approvals are typically limited to organised groups or government-linked visits.North Korea’s national carrier, Air Koryo, had previously resumed some flights to China on a limited basis, but the return of a Chinese airline marks a more significant step in restoring bilateral connectivity.Economic expectations and cautious outlookThe reopening of the route is being closely watched for its potential economic impact. Analysts say renewed air links could help facilitate trade flows and improve access for Chinese businesses, which play a key role in North Korea’s external economic activity.However, the pace of reopening remains uncertain. While the flight resumption is a symbolic milestone, broader travel normalisation will depend on further policy changes in Pyongyang and the gradual rebuilding of international connections.For now, the once-busy corridor between Beijing and Pyongyang is operating at a fraction of its pre-pandemic capacity, reflecting a slow and tightly managed retur...
China urges de-escalation of Korean Peninsula tensions
This screen grab taken from video released by the South Korean Defence Ministry and filmed from an undisclosed location in South Korea along the inter-Korean border shows an explosion on a road connecting North and South Korea on October 15, 2024. [Photo/Agencies] BEIJING - A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Tuesday emphasized the urgent need to prevent further escalation of tensions ...
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