The United States confirmed on Wednesday that a senior Chinese official was visiting North Korea, saying Washington had been informed of the trip in advance.
"I do understand that he is, as you say, either in the process of going, or perhaps there already. I'd certainly leave it up to the Chinese government to report back on his meetings," Tom Casey, a State Department spokesman, said of Chinese State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan, who recently visited Russia and the United States.
"My understanding is that his trip would be part of Chinese efforts to convince the North Koreans to comply with (UN) Resolution 1718, as well as the other relevant Security Council measures that are out there," Casey added.
A US official who spoke privately added: "The Chinese have told us he was going. ... I am pretty sure that he is scheduled to have meetings in the North on Thursday."