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President Jiang's DPRK Visit Expected in Early September: Report
Chinese President Jiang Zemin plans to visit North Korea next month, reciprocating two recent unofficial trips to China by DPRK leader Kim Jong Il, according to a report by chinadaily.com.cn.
Jiang would possibly fly to Pyongyang to meet the Kim in early September but it was not clear how long he would stay, the report said.
The visit was designed to strengthen cooperation between the two countries ahead of a summit between Jiang and US President George W. Bush in October, analysts said.
China's Foreign Ministry said Jiang had accepted an invitation to visit North Korea but details were still being worked out.
Kim's Russian tour and Jiang's trip to Pyongyang are seen in South Korea as signs that the DPRK leader is shoring up relations with Moscow and Beijing to prepare for a promised visit to Seoul.
Kim's landmark visit to China in May 2000 paved the way for his historic summit with South Korean President Kim Dae-jung in Pyongyang the next month.
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