The North Korean government’s official news agency, KCNA, announced on Monday that a high-level Chinese team will visit North Korea this week. This will be the first formal visit of this kind since Pyongyang closed its doors in the wake of the COVID-19 incident.

Li Hongzhong, a member of the politburo of the Chinese Communist Party, will attend events honouring the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, according to KCNA.

Early in 2020, North Korea blocked its border to all commerce and diplomatic interactions, including with its principal ally China. The visit was not mentioned in the state media report from Monday on any policy changes.