China's premier will pay an official visit to North Korea this week, Beijing said Tuesday, announcing the high-level diplomatic engagement to the isolated nuclear state.

Despite periods of strained ties between China and North Korea over Pyongyang's nuclear programme, the neighbours have maintained a close relationship in recent years.

Premier Li Qiang "will lead a party and government delegation to the DPRK... and pay an official goodwill visit from October 9 to 11", a foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement, using an official acronym for North Korea.

Li, China's highest-ranking leader after President Xi Jinping, will attend 80th anniversary celebrations for North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, the statement said.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported last week that the

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