China’s fourth-highest-ranked official, Wang Huning, visited Pyongyang and held talks with Jo Yong Won, a senior official of North Korea’s governing Workers’ Party, on Wednesday, July 16th, 2026. This meeting is part of ongoing high-level exchanges between Beijing and Pyongyang following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to North Korea in June—the first in seven years—as China aims to strengthen ties with its traditional ally.

Wang Huning reaffirmed “the will of the Chinese party and the government” to implement the agreement reached between Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during Xi’s visit last month, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and Reuters. During that summit, the two leaders adopted what North Korean state media described as a “far-reaching blueprint” to enhance “the most powerful and strategic relations” between the two countries.

Chinese state media reported that Xi Jinping pushed for closer diplomatic, law enforcement, and military cooperation with North Korea during his visit.

This visit underscores China’s ongoing commitment to solidifying its strategic partnership with North Korea amid regional and global geopolitical dynamics.

Sources