By K J M VarmaBeijing, Nov 15 (PTI) China will send a special envoy toNorth Korea on Friday, the state-run media said today, daysafter US President Donald Trump visited Beijing and urged hisChinese counterpart Xi Jinping to act fast to rein inPyongyang.
President Xi's special envoy, Song Tao, will visit NorthKorea to inform its leadership about the outcome of the recentnational congress of the ruling Communist Party of China(CPC), state-run Xinhua news agency said, without mentioningTrump's visit or the North Korea's nuclear programmes.
The announcement about the Chinese envoy's visit cameafter Trump during talks with Xi last week urged him toto do more to use China's influence to pressure North Koreandictator Kim Jong-un to give up nuclear weapons programme.
Song, the head of the International Department of theCommunist Party of China (CPC), is expected to convey theoutcome of Xi-Trump talks and WashingtonÂ’s emphasis onPyongyang giving up the nuclear and missile programme forresumption of dialogue and lifting of sanctions.
China, regarded as a close ally of North Korea and itslargest trading partner, insists that it is implementing allUN Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang and calls forresumption of dialogue on denuclearisation of KoreanPeninsula.
Song would be the first ministerial-level Chineseofficial to visit North Korea since October 2015 whenPolitburo Standing Committee member Liu Yunshan visitedPyongyang and met with Kim.
Trump, who wrapped up his five-nation tour of Asiayesterday, has warned the North Korean dictator of direconsequences if he went ahead with the nuclear programme. PTIKJVPMS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.