A North Korean envoy met China's President Xi Jinping on Friday and handed him a letter from leader Kim Jong-Un, Chinese state media reported, in a sign Pyongyang may be backing away from confrontation with the international community.
A KCNA photo shows Choe Ryong-Hae (C), director of the Korean People's Army politburo, leaving Pyongyang airport to visit China on May 22, 2013. The North Korean envoy met China's President Xi Jinping in Beijing Friday and handed him a personal letter from leader Kim Jong-Un, Chinese state-run media reported.
Choe Ryong-Hae told Xi that North Korea is willing to take positive actions to solve problems through dialogue, the official Xinhua news agency said, after months of high tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear programme.
The report did not disclose the contents of the letter.
But it quoted Choe as saying dialogue included the long-stalled six-party talks aimed at Pyongyang's denuclearisation, which are chaired by China and also bring together North Korea, South Korea, the United States, Russia and Japan.
Choe also said that North Korea needs to create a peaceful regional environment as well as developing its economy and improve its people's livelihoods.
A vice marshal and director of the Korean People's Army's General Political Bureau, Choe is said to be a close confidant of Kim, who has led North Korea for more than a year since the death of his father Kim Jong-Il in late 2011.
China is North Korea's key economic benefactor and diplomatic protector. Analysts had said they were watching who in the Chinese heirarchy Choe would get to meet for clues concerning the visit's ultimate success.
Xi, China's paramount leader, stressed China's longstanding views.
"China has a very clear position concerning the issue that all the parties involved should stick to the objective of denuclearisation, safeguard the peace and stability on the peninsula, and resolve disputes through dialogue and consultation," Xi said, according to Xinhua.
Chinese state television's main evening news broadcast showed footage of the meeting in Beijing's Great Hall of the People, with Choe wearing a dark, high-collared North Korean-style suit, in contrast to other meetings in which he appeared in military uniform.
On his chest a badge commonly worn by North Korean officials displaying images of Kim Il-Sung, the country's founding father, and his son Kim Jong-Il was visible.
Choe's talks with Xi culminated three days of discussions with other officials in which he made similar statements about solving problems through dialogue.
Their content is in dramatic contrast to months of harsh sabre-rattling out of Pyongyang, in particular after the United Nations strengthened sanctions against it following an atomic test in February.
Its rhetoric at times reached fever pitch with threats of nuclear war against the United States. One concrete step taken was the closure of a joint industrial park it had operated with South Korea just inside the North Korean border, long a symbol of detente between the two Koreas.
Analysts see Beijing as having the most influence over North Korea, but relations had deteriorated with China backing the UN move.
The six-party talks, first launched in 2003, have sought to persuade Pyongyang to abandon nuclear development in exchange for aid and security guarantees, but the process has stalled for years amid repeated North Korean atomic tests and ballistic missile launches.
In comments Friday before news of Choe's meeting with Xi emerged, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a regular briefing of Beijing's expectations.
"We hope that this visit will strengthen and develop China-North Korea relations, ease the tense situation on the Korean peninsula, promote its denuclearisation, maintain peace and stability on it and promote the resolution of related problems through dialogue and consultation," he said.
Also Friday, Choe met Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Chinese Communist Party's powerful Central Military Commission, and said Pyongyang was willing to work with all parties to solve problems through dialogue, Xinhua said.