South Korea's Foreign Ministry says North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is displaying his will to continue talks with the U.S. over denuclearization by inviting Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a state visit.

The ministry disclosed its interpretations of Xi’s planned visit to Pyongyang in a statement on Wednesday, noting the imminent North Korea-China summit means the peace process on the Korean Peninsula is still being carried out within the framework of dialogue and negotiations. 

The ministry also referred to Xi’s remarks in an op-ed published by the North’s state-run Rodong Sinmun, in which the Chinese leader promised support for progress through dialogue and negotiations on peninsula-related issues. 

The South Korean government expects the Xi-Kim summit will contribute to complete denuclearization and lasting peace. 

Xi is set to make his first-ever state visit to the North for two days from Thursday. South Korea and the U.S. are scheduled to hold a bilateral summit in Seoul later this month.