Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan is visiting North Korea in an apparent attempt to help defuse heightened tension over Pyongyang's nuclear test, a diplomatic source here said Wednesday.
"I understand Tang is visiting Pyongyang as a special envoy to Chinese President Hu Jintao, in tandem with Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, the top Chinese delegate to the six-party nuclear disarmament talks," the source said on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, a North Korean official in Beijing confirmed Tang's visit to Pyongyang but denied he was accompanied by Vice Minister Wu.
Tang's visit comes days before U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's planned visit to Beijing this weekend to discuss how to implement sanctions against North Korea.
The U.N. Security Council adopted far-reaching economic and diplomatic sanctions on Pyongyang after it conducted its first-ever nuclear test on Oct. 9.
The Chinese envoy is expected to urge North Korea to make an early return to the six-party negotiations after conveying the fierce reaction of the international community to its test, as well as the U.S. and its allies' moves to sanction Pyongyang, the source said.
Tang visited the United States and Russia as Hu's special envoy following North Korea's nuclear test.
It is unclear whether he will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-il or not. It is also not clear what message from the United States he will relay to Pyongyang.
Earlier in April, Tang made a secret visit to Pyongyang for talks with the North Korean leader, also in the capacity of Hu's special envoy.
China, the traditional ally of North Korea, consented to imposing the sanctions, but exposed a potential rift with the U.S. and Japan on the severity of the sanctions and ways to implement them.
Beijing, Oct. 18 (Yonhap News)
China's senior envoy visits N. Korea: source |
