China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit North Korea this week for a two-day trip, Beijing said, as it prepares to host US President Donald Trump next month.
Wang will travel to Pyongyang on April 9-10 at the invitation of North Korea's Foreign Ministry, according to China's Foreign Ministry. It will be the first visit by a Chinese foreign minister since 2019.
Wang is expected to meet North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and leader Kim Jong Un.
The two foreign ministers last met in Beijing in September, when Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping also held a summit.
The visit comes as part of ongoing efforts by Beijing and Pyongyang to strengthen communication and coordination on regional and international issues.
It also coincides with preparations for a possible visit by Trump to China. The White House has confirmed a state visit for May 14-15, though Beijing has not yet officially announced it.
The trip has fueled speculation that Trump and Kim could meet again following the Beijing visit.
South Korea's intelligence agency said Monday it believes North Korea may be preparing for renewed diplomacy after a potential Trump-Xi summit in May, Yonhap News reported.
Trump and Kim held three summits during Trump's first term in office. The two last met in 2019 in the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea.
There has been no official confirmation of a new summit.
Ahead of a visit to South Korea late last year, Trump said he would be willing to meet Kim "if the latter wants to hold talks."
North Korea has indicated openness to dialogue if the United States recognizes its nuclear status, which Kim has described as "irreversible."
