Chinese envoy in North Korea as relations chill

Last updated: November 17, 2017 at 12:24 pm

A Chinese envoy to North Korea has arrived in the country's capital on Friday to try to improve relations that have soured over Beijing's tightening of sanctions.

Chinas has also expressed support for US President Donald Trump's calls for more pressure on the North to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

Song Tao's official mission is to brief North Korean officials on the outcome of China's ruling Communist Party congress held last month.

He is visiting as President Xi Jinping's special envoy, according to Chinese and North Korean state media, but no other details about his itinerary or whether he will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have been announced.

After arriving, Song met with Choe Ryong Hae, a vice chairman of the ruling party and one of the most senior leaders after Kim.

The visit is seen as an effort by Xi to explore a new approach in relations and likely also reflects Xi's desire to head off further pressure from Washington.

China's relations with North Korea have deteriorated under Kim, who has ignored Beijing's calls to end the North's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests and return to disarmament talks.

North Korea staged its sixth nuclear test on 3 September, detonating what it said was a hydrogen bomb, and most recently launched a ballistic missile on 15 September, firing it over the Japanese island of Hokkaido into the Pacific Ocean.

China, North Korea's largest trading partner, says its influence with Kim's government is often exaggerated by the US and others.