Chinese leader Xi Jinping will seemingly not be attending celebrations for North Korea’s 70th founding anniversary and instead will send a special envoy in his place, Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday citing a spokesperson from the Communist Party of China (CPC).

North Korea will be staging a series of events to mark its 70th anniversary, which occurs on September 9, including a military parade, mass games, and other celebrations.

“China’s top legislator Li Zhanshu will head a delegation to visit the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Saturday as a special representative of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the