China's Top Diplomat Heads to North Korea After 4-Year Gap

China's Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, will visit North Korea on Thursday and Friday. The trip comes at the invitation of North Korea's government. This is Wang's first visit to the isolated country since September 2019. His last trip was also a three-day visit to the capital, Pyongyang. The announcement follows a major political meeting in North Korea earlier this year. At that event, leader Kim Jong-un solidified his control over the ruling party. The visit highlights ongoing diplomatic ties between the two neighboring allies. It occurs as regional tensions remain high over North Korea's weapons programs.