Beijing: North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi have reached a comprehensive consensus on critical international and regional matters during their recent meeting, as reported by North Korea’s state media.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) confirmed the agreement following the first one-on-one meeting between Choe and Wang in China on Sunday. The meeting is part of a four-day visit by Choe and her delegation to China, beginning on Saturday.

The KCNA reported that both sides had an in-depth exchange of views on various issues and reached a complete consensus. While specific details of their discussions were not disclosed, it is anticipated that the talks might have explored common grounds in anticipation of potential summits involving South Korea, China, or the United States on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 1 in South Korea.

This visit marks Choe’s second trip to China in less than a month, following her earlier visit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to attend a significant military parade in Beijing on Sept. 3. During that visit, Kim held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, marking their first meeting in over six years and indicating a restoration of bilateral relations that had been strained due to Pyongyang’s military alignment with Russia.

In her discussions with Wang, Choe highlighted the military parade as a testament to China’s achievements, international stature, and national power. She expressed North Korea’s commitment to fostering deeper bilateral relations in alignment with the Kim-Xi talks, reiterating Kim’s assurance that the North Korea-China relationship would remain steadfast despite changes in the international landscape.

Wang emphasized that the Kim-Xi summit provided guidance for elevating bilateral ties, urging the need for enhanced strategic communications and cooperation to maintain regional peace and stability. He reaffirmed China’s commitment to advancing relations with North Korea, stressing that Choe’s visit would further promote shared interests.

This meeting with Wang marks Choe’s first direct engagement with a Chinese foreign minister since her appointment in June 2022, and her first independent visit to China in this capacity. The talks have fueled speculation about whether Xi will attend North Korea’s military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea’s founding on Oct. 10.