Overview
- China's foreign minister met North Korea's Choe Son Hui in Pyongyang and said Beijing stands ready to improve ties.
- Beijing called the two-day trip an important step that comes before an expected Xi–Trump summit.
- Rail and air links have restarted after long closures, with daily trains and Air China flights now back between the capitals.
- China's exports to North Korea rose to about $2.3 billion last year, a six-year high that points to warming ties.
- North Korea has strengthened links with Russia, with Reuters reporting it sent troops and weapons to support the war in Ukraine.