Chinese President Xi Jinping was accompanied by top Chinese diplomatic and economic decision makers during his state visit to North Korea on Thursday and Friday, suggesting economic cooperation was a primary agenda item.

Arriving with Xi in Pyongyang were He Lifeng of the National Development and Reform Commission, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other top-ranking political officials that have accompanied Xi on other high-profile visits around the world.

The inclusion of minister He, a trained economist, is attracting particular attention as he heads the Chinese agency that approves all major development projects.

His presences indicates Chinese-North Korean economic cooperation was likely a major talking point during Xi’s ongoing two-day visit.

On Thursday, Xi was quoted as saying that his country will provide the North all possible means of support for security and development issues of “reasonable concern.”

[Photo : YONHAP News]