A senior Chinese official will lead an art troupe to North Korea, in a sign of a thaw in relations following North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s surprise visit to Beijing last month for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The North's official Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) said the group will be led by Song Tao, the head of the international department at the Central Committee of the Communist Party and will attend the 31st April Spring Friendship Art Festival.

The KCNA said the trip will consolidate the cornerstone of the DPRK-China cultural exchange and strengthen the traditional DPRK-China friendly relations onto a new high stage.

China's Xinhua News Agency said the delegation will visit North Korea on Friday. 

The April Spring Friendship Art Festival has been held every two years to mark the birthday of late founder Kim Il-sung on April 15th, known as the Day of the Sun. This year's event will be held from Wednesday to next Tuesday. 

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