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Top North Korea diplomat arrives in Beijing

By Elizabeth Shim
North Korea Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho is in China and will meet with top Chinese officials on Friday, according to a South Korean press report. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
North Korea Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho is in China and will meet with top Chinese officials on Friday, according to a South Korean press report. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Dec. 6 (UPI) -- North Korea Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho arrived in Beijing for a three-day visit during which he could exchange views with Chinese officials, following talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump during the G20 Summit.

Ri, who recently met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, landed at Beijing's international airport at 3:30 p.m. on an Emirates EK88 flight that left from Dubai, Yonhap reported Thursday.

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Armed Chinese police and heavy security surrounded the area. Chen Hai, the deputy director-general of the Chinese foreign ministry was at the airport to greet Ri. Ji Jae Ryong, the North Korean ambassador to Beijing, was on standby to escort Ri out of the airport, according to the report.

After leaving the airport, Ri boarded a Chinese foreign ministry vehicle and headed for Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

KCNA confirmed Thursday "Comrade Ri Yong Ho" had arrived in Beijing but did not mention Ri's schedule or the purpose of the visit.

A Beijing-based source told Yonhap Ri is expected to meet with his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, on Friday and other top officials -- it is unconfirmed whether Ri will sit down with Xi for talks.

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Ri's visit comes only days after Trump and Xi met in Argentina.

The two leaders mainly discussed trade, but Trump also told Xi he would work with him "100 percent" on North Korea, Al-Jazeera and other news services reported.

On Saturday, Trump also said he would at "some point" host Kim Jong Un in the United States.

South Korea may be planning a summit between Kim and President Moon Jae-in, but a date has not been finalized, according to reports.

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