Senior Chinese and North Korean officials hold talks in Pyongyang — report

SEOUL — China's fourth-highest-ranking official, Wang Huning, held talks in Pyongyang with Jo Yong Won, a senior official of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The meeting marks the latest in a series of high-level exchanges between Beijing and Pyongyang following Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea in June, his first trip to the country in seven years. The discussions underscore China's efforts to strengthen its influence over its longtime ally as North Korea deepens its ties with Russia.

Wang, who led the Chinese delegation to Pyongyang, said China remains committed to implementing the agreements reached by Xi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during their summit last month, KCNA reported.

During the summit, Xi and Kim agreed to expand cooperation in politics, the economy, culture, and strategic communication through more frequent exchanges between senior officials.

Kim also reaffirmed North Korea's support for the "One China" principle, Beijing's position that Taiwan is part of China. Taiwan rejects China's sovereignty claims and maintains that only its people can determine the island's future.

Wang and Jo also highlighted the 65th anniversary of diplomatic friendship between China and North Korea. According to KCNA, the two officials discussed strengthening strategic communication, expanding cooperation between their ruling parties, and promoting collaboration in business, culture, and public welfare.

The meeting follows another high-level exchange earlier this month, when North Korean Premier Pak Thae Song met Xi in Beijing during events commemorating the 65th anniversary of the two countries' friendship treaty. Xi called on both nations to maintain "strategic resolve" amid global uncertainties and accelerate the implementation of agreements reached with Kim.

The Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, signed on July 11, 1961, remains China's only active mutual defense pact.

Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said the recent flurry of diplomatic exchanges reflects the strategic interests of both countries.

"North Korea wants to secure China's economic and geopolitical support, while China seeks to maintain its influence on the Korean Peninsula and preserve its strategic position in Northeast Asia," Yang said. -Reporting by Heejin Kim in Seoul; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Michael Perry/Reuters