Overview

• The four-day trip will run from Saturday to Tuesday at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to China’s foreign ministry.
• Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun announced the visit, and North Korea’s KCNA also reported that Choe will travel to China soon.
• Choe’s trip follows Kim Jong-un’s early September visit to Beijing for China’s military parade and his talks with President Xi Jinping, which she attended.
• The timing coincides with Pyongyang’s preparations for a large-scale parade marking the Workers’ Party’s 80th founding anniversary on Oct. 10.
• Whether Xi Jinping will attend the North Korean parade is a focus of attention, with reports indicating Pyongyang is inviting foreign leaders.