China's vice-foreign minister Liu Zhenmin visits North Korea

Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin (5th from left) posing for a photo with his delegates upon arriving in Pyongyang, in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) Oct 24, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS

SEOUL (Reuters) - Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin arrived in the North Korean capital on Monday (Oct 24), in the first visit to the country by a high-ranking Chinese official since February, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported.

North Korea's KCNA news agency said Mr Liu led a Chinese delegation attending the third meeting of the DPRK-China border joint committee. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the North's official name.

His visit comes as Washington and its allies urge Beijing to agree on tough new United Nations Security Council sanctions against North Korea after it conducted a fifth nuclear test in September.

China is North Korea's main ally but is angered by Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.