Chinese Premier Li Qiang Plans Visit North Korea Workers' Party 80th Anniversary

Chinese Premier Li Qiang will visit North Korea from October 9 to 11 to participate in the 80th anniversary celebrations of the Workers' Party of Korea, according to announcements from both Beijing and Pyongyang. Li, who is the second-ranked official in the Chinese Communist Party after President Xi Jinping, will lead a delegation of party and government officials on this official goodwill visit at Pyongyang's invitation. The visit underscores the ongoing diplomatic engagement between China and North Korea, with Li attending alongside other international delegations such as Russia's United Russia Party led by Dmitry Medvedev. North Korea annually celebrates its ruling party's founding on October 10, and this year's milestone is marked by significant foreign delegations. This trip by Li Qiang rules out a visit by President Xi Jinping, emphasizing Li's role as China's primary envoy for the celebrations. The event highlights the continued strategic relationship and political alignment between China and North Korea.