Senior Chinese Official Heads Delegation to Mark Korean Workers Party 70th Anniversary

Oct 04, 2015 01:35 PM EDT

(Photo : REUTERS/China Daily) Liu Yunshan (R), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, shakes hands with Choe Ryong-hae, director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army (KPA) and special envoy of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) late leader Kim Jong-un, during a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in 2013. Liu is set lead a delegation to attend the 70th anniversary of North Korea's ruling party.

A high-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) will head a delegation of diplomats to North Korea to celebration the 70^th anniversary of Pyongyang's ruling party.

Liu Yunshan, a member of the CPC's Politburo Standing Committee, is visiting Pyongyang on the invitation of the Korean Workers' Party. The visit, which is primarily to commemorate the founding of the Workers' Party, is also as an "official friendly visit."

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The Chinese delegation would engage in a rare official state visit to neighboring North Korea after attending the anniversary events beginning on Oct. 10.

The news of the visit was announced on Sunday by Chinese state media amid reports that Pyongyang overlooked Beijing while sending out invitations to South American and African countries.

Beijing and Pyongyang have shared close diplomatic relations. However, their long-standing bilateral relations, which began in the 1940s, has grown stale in recent years. At the root of their weakening ties are Beijing's concerns over North Korea's controversial nuclear weapons program and its seizure of Chinese fishing boats.

Last month, while President Xi Jinping was in the United States, he stressed that Beijing was against any actions that may cause tension in Asia - particularly along the peninsula. Xi's comments came after Pyongyang threatened to conduct a nuclear and a long-range rocket launch test.

North Korea depends heavily on China for foreign aid. Nearly half of all Beijing's foreign aid goes to Pyongyang. But China has signed the United Nations (UN) sanctions against North Korea.

China-North Korea relations has suffered considerably since 2011 after the death of Kim Jong il. 32-year-old Kim Jong Un, who took over from his father, is yet to visit China. Last month, he turned down an opportunity to visit China, sending a senior member of the Worker's Party of Korea to attend Beijing's 70^th anniversary V-Day military parade.

Xi has not also visited Pyongyang and has not met with Kim. However, he visited Seoul last year and has had several meetings with South Korean President Park Geun-Hye.

Tags70th Anniversary of Korean Workers' Party, Korean Workers' Party, Liu Yunshan, china north korea, China-North Korea relations, North Korean Workers Party