Top Chinese official in Pyongyang for key anniversary

BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Yonhap) -- A top Chinese official arrived in Pyongyang on Friday to attend a key anniversary of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, China's state-run media reported.

Liu Yunshan, who ranks fifth in China's ruling Communist Party hierarchy, led the Chinese delegation that will attend the 70th anniversary of the founding of the North Korean party on Saturday.

In a dispatch from Pyongyang, China's Xinhua news agency reported that Liu will stay in North Korea for four days and "meet with DPRK (North Korea) leaders to exchange views on bilateral relations and other issues of common concern."

It is the first time for one of the members of the Chinese Communist Party's politburo standing committee to visit North Korea since the North's young leader Kim Jong-un took power in late 2011.

The four-day visit by Liu to North Korea will be closely watched for whether or not he will meet with Kim, given the strained political ties between the allies over the North's nuclear and missile programs.

kdh@yna.co.kr
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