China's Xi leaves for first state visit to North Korea
BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping departed for Pyongyang on Thursday on a state visit to North Korea, state media said, accompanied by a clutch of senior officials, including the head of the state economic planner.
Neighbor China is the North’s only major ally, and the visit comes amid renewed tension on the Korean peninsula as the United States seeks to persuade Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons. China, engaged in a bitter trade war with the United States, has also defended its “normal” trade and business ties with North Korea.
“Comrade Xi Jinping is visiting our country in the face of crucial and grave tasks due to complex international relations, which clearly shows that the Chinese party and the government place high significance on the friendship between the two countries,” it added. State media say drought has hit North Korea, with international aid groups reporting food production has dropped dramatically amid poor harvests.
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