Thursday, December 2, 2010

Top Chinese Leader Meets With N. Korea Official

BEIJING - China's top legislator held talks with his North Korean counterpart on Dec. 1 and said Beijing would maintain friendly ties with Pyongyang, state media said, amid high tensions in the region.
The meeting, broadcast on China's state television, is the first reported contact between senior Chinese and North Korean leaders since Pyongyang stunned the world last week with a deadly artillery strike on a South Korean island.
"To continuously consolidate and develop friendly and cooperative Sino-North Korean ties is the unswerving strategic policy of the Chinese party and government," Wu Bangguo told his North Korean counterpart Choe Thae-Bok.
Choe, chairman of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly, is on an official visit to China that will end Dec. 4. Wu and Choe made no mention of the current tense situation in the comments broadcast on state television.
North Korea's shelling on Nov. 23 left four people dead and led to increased tensions in the region.
The U.S. and South Korea responded to the incident by staging a major joint show of naval strength intended to deter Pyongyang from repeating last week's artillery bombardment.

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