China backs NKorea amid deadlocked nuclear talks

SEOUL: China reasserted its backing for North Korea on Tuesday as its foreign minister visited Pyongyang, vowing to maintain “close communication” with its longstanding ally in the face of deadlocked nuclear talks with Washington.

Beijing has long been North Korea’s key diplomatic backer and main provider of trade and aid, and while ties deteriorated over Pyongyang’s nuclear provocations and China’s subsequent backing of UN sanctions, the two have since worked to repair their relationship.