China and North Korea hold highest-level talks

China and North Korea on Saturday held their highest-level talks since Pyongyang staged a rocket launch that drew international censure, and they exchanged views about the tense Korean peninsula, according to an official Chinese news report. Wang Jiarui, the head of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's International Department, met Kim Yong-il, the Korean Workers' Party director of international affairs, for "strategic" talks between the two ruling parties, the Xinhua news agency reported.
"Both sides thoroughly exchanged views on developing exchanges and co-operation between the Chinese and North Korean parties, on developments on the Korean peninsula, and on other international and regional issues of common concern," said the report which did not mention the recent failed rocket launch.