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China in 'goodwill visit' to N.K.
BEIJING, China -- China's second highest leader has arrived in North Korea for a "goodwill visit" which has raised hopes of new headway into resolving the year long standoff over Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. Wu Bangguo -- National People's Congress chairman and number two in the Communist Party hierarchy -- is heading the Chinese delegation to North Korea, which also includes Beijing's point man on dealing with Pyongyang, Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi. A top-level military official is also on the trip, China's state-run Xinhua news agency said. The North's official news agency, KCNA, reported the party arrived in Pyongyang late Wednesday morning "at the invitation" of North Korea. "This visit by the Chinese delegation will mark a new chapter in North Korea-China friendship," the North's Rodong Sinmun newspaper said. "The traditional North Korea-China friendship is an unfailing friendship forged by the leaders of the two countries." China -- one of North Korea's few allies and the major provider of food and fuel aid -- has played a key role in convincing Pyongyang to come to the table for three-way talks in Beijing in April and six-nation negotiations in August, also in the Chinese capital. Both meetings have ended inconclusively. But recent murmurings in the Japanese and South Korean press, as well as from South Korea's Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun have indicated another round of multi-party talks may take place before the end of the year. Wu's trip has increased hope Beijing can convince Pyongyang to commit to more discussions, with China playing host again and the U.S., Japan, Russia and South Korea taking part. (Full story) "The two sides are expected to have a friendly and in-depth exchange of views on regional and international affairs and other issues of common interest," Xinhua reported. It did not mention the nuclear issue. The standoff flared up October 2002 when U.S. officials said Pyongyang admitted to secretly pursuing a nuclear weapons program in violation of a 1994 treaty. North Korea has insisted it would not begin to dismantle its weapons program and facilities until it had a nonagression pact with the White House that the U.S. would not attack. Until recently, the Bush administration had been adamant it would not be blackmailed into making concessions with Pyongyang and repeated that North Korea must act first in reigning in its nuclear ambitions. The White House has said it would not attack North Korea but has ruled out any such nonagression pact. However, earlier this month, U.S. President George W. Bush said he was prepared to put on paper with America's partner a pledge declaring "we won't attack you." Bush said that though the U.S. was willing to sign such a document, it would not be a treaty.
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