Chinese President Xi Jinping has penned a front page op-ed in the Wednesday edition of North Korea's ruling party newspaper, a day ahead of his landmark visit to the nuclear-armed country, writing that Beijing is willing to work with Pyongyang to prepare a "grand plan" for achieving "permanent stability" in East Asia.
In the commentary in the Rodong Sinmun — the official mouthpiece of the North's ruling Worker's Party of Korea — Xi said Beijing vowed to play a greater role in pushing for progress on stalled nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea, calling Pyongyang's demands "reasonable."
"We will actively contribute to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity by strengthening communication and coordination with North Korea and other relevant parties to make progress in talks and negotiations on the issues on the Korean Peninsula," Xi said in the piece.