North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's Oct. 24 visit to Dandong carried a public message of closer ties with China, while analysts differed on whether he discussed possible U.S. dialogue.
China's Foreign Ministry said Wang Huning accompanied Kim in Dandong and Wang Yi also attended. The ministry said Kim paid tribute to Chinese soldiers who fought in the Korean War, and described the visit as a step toward stronger political trust and cooperation.
The ministry separately said the newly opened New Yalu River Bridge could make it easier to expand travel and trade between the countries.
Neither China's nor North Korea's official account mentioned U.S.-North Korea talks, The Korea Herald reported. The newspaper said Joung Eun-lee viewed dialogue with Washington as a possible main agenda item, while Yang Gab-yong said such a discussion could not be ruled out. Analyst Michael Bosack doubted the issue was raised, the paper reported.
The visit came before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, scheduled for Nov. 18-19 in Shenzhen, according to the Chinese government. The White House said U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping intended to attend each other's summits.
