We begin with news on a possible visit to Pyongyang next month by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
This comes as the two have been rebuilding their ties since early this year,... after their traditionally strong alliance went through a rocky patch when Beijing imposed tough sanctions on the regime in compliance with a UN Security Council resolution.
Our Ko Roon-hee starts us off.
In a sign of the improving ties between China and North Korea, Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit Pyongyang in September.
Singapore's Straits Times reported Saturday that President Xi will attend the 70th anniversary celebrations of the founding of North Korean regime at the invitation of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un.
The newspaper added it would be the Chinese leader's first visit to Pyongyang since he took power in 2012.
In the past, former Chinese leader Hu Jintao visited North Korea in 2005…and former premier Wen Jiabao made the trip in 2009.
In terms of the timing of President Xi's planned trip, the Straits Times said it comes as relations between China and North Korea improved significantly this year thanks to Kim Jong-un visiting Beijing three times since March.
Kim met with his Chinese counterpart before and after the North Korea-U.S. summit in June and after those meetings, the two leaders pledged to develop their traditional friendship.
The visit is not only expected to further improve relations between Pyongyang and Beijing but also paint a clearer picture of China's role in the North's denuclearization process.
An associate professor of international studies told the Singapore-based daily that President Xi's visit will send a clear signal to United States that it will need Chinese support when dealing with denuclearization issues in the future.
The paper quoted another expert who said the trip might be a good opportunity for President Xi to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons for the sake of lasting security in the region.
Ko Roon-hee, Arirang News.
