Wang Huning meets Jo Yong Won in Pyongyang

China's fourth-highest-ranked official, Wang Huning, held talks in Pyongyang with Jo Yong-won, a top official of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, on July 15-16, 2026. The meeting is part of a series of high-level exchanges following Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea in June 2026, the first in seven years. Wang affirmed China's will to implement agreements reached between Xi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, including expanded cooperation in politics, economy, culture, and strategic communication. The discussions also covered the 65th anniversary of bilateral ties and ways to improve public welfare and deepen mutual cooperation in business and culture. The exchanges reflect China's efforts to reinforce influence over its traditional ally amid North Korea's deepening ties with Russia, including a strategic defense agreement that deployed North Korean troops to Ukraine. North Korea seeks China's economic and geopolitical backing, while China aims to maintain influence on the Korean Peninsula.