China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi is in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. It’s the first visit there by a top diplomat from Beijing in more than ten years. The invitation from the DPRK follows the historic summit between the two Koreas.

CGTN’s Li Jianhua reports.

A seasoned mediator when it comes to the DPRK, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has arrived in Pyongyang.

This marks the second high-level talks between China and the DPRK this year. This first being Kim Jong Un’s four-day trip to Beijing in March.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said denuclearization will top the foreign minister’s agenda.

“China has always insisted on a denuclearized Korean Peninsula in order to maintain peace and stability in the region,” Hua Chunying of China’s Foreign Ministry said. “We have always insisted on finding a solution that responds to the appropriate concerns of all relevant parties through dialogue and negotiation.”

Things are changing on the peninsula—the U.S. may hold talks with the DPRK within weeks.

Some observers said Beijing has been sidelined on the DPRK issue, but others said China is vital to the process, because the DPRK still needs Beijing.

“As historical and existing strategic factors here, nobody, no party have the capability (of excluding) China from any fundamental negotiation or solution regarding the peninsula and the region as well [as Beijing],” said Yang Xiyu, Senior Fellow of the China Institute of International Studies.

China has been promoting a “double suspension” mechanism: the DPRK suspending its nuclear activities in exchange for the suspension of U.S.-South Korea military exercises.

China hopes all parties involved could return to the negotiation table.

Karl Friedhoff discusses significance of Wang Yi’s visit to DPRK

CGTN’s Elaine Reyes speaks to Karl Friedhoff, a fellow from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs about the Chinese Foreign Minister’s visit to Pyongyang.