North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Ri Kil Song arrived in Beijing on Tuesday to hold possible talks on the coal import ban imposed as a retaliatory measure by China last week, after the isolated communist state carried out its latest missile test earlier this month.       

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The North Korean diplomat has arrived in the country at the invitation of Foreign Minister Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, who described the visit as "normal diplomatic contact and exchange" between the two communist state.  

North Korean state-run KCNA also confirmed the visit but did not elaborate on its purpose. Some media reports claim that Ri's car left straight from the Beijing International Airport towards the central part of the capital, instead of the North Korean embassy, marking the urgency and importance of the visit.

This is the first high-ranking official from the reclusive communist state to arrive in China, following the latest missile test, which was apparently the first since U.S. President Donald Trump assumed the office in January.

It is still not known whether Ri will be meeting President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang during the visit. But it is likely that the recent coal ban import and impending deployment of THAAD missile are likely to top Ri's agenda. The recent murder of the leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half-brother may also dominate talks during the visit.   

China is North Korea's sole ally and also its largest trading partner, but the latter's controversial nuclear missile program has virtually put a brake on their bilateral relationship. This was clear after Beijing took a series of stringent actions last year against Pyongyang in line with the recent United Nations sanctions.

China probably served the most severe blow last week after it imposed a coal ban import on North Korea. The ban will last until the end of this year. The reclusive communist state may find itself mired in economic hardship as a result of this move since coal is the most valuable export that helps to sustain its fragile economy. 

TagsNorth Korea, North Korea Coal Ban, North korea and China, china, North Korea Missile Program