Chinese leader Xi Jinping brought a “star team” of top economic, party and military officials on his second state visit to North Korea, experts say, a move that suggests Beijing is placing greater priority on bilateral ties to counteract Pyongyang’s drift toward Russia.

Chinese state media reported that Xi’s right-hand man Cai Qi and veteran diplomat Wang Yi joined the delegation, while North Korean state media revealed that Xi brought a much larger entourage for talks with leader Kim Jong Un.

Xi’s delegation also included a specialized group of officials linked to the diverse topics the two leaders discussed.

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