(5 Oct 2009) Hoechang County 1. Wide of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visiting Chinese Martyrs' Cemetery for Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War 2. Wide of statue of the Unnamed Chinese Soldier 3. Wen walking towards monument, inspecting wreaths 4. Mid of statue 5. Wen and Chinese delegation bowing to monument 6. Grave and bust of Mao Anying, son of Mao Zedong (founding father of modern China) 7. Various of Wen laying flowers and bowing to grave of Mao 8. Mid of other graves of Chinese soldiers 9. Wen walking past graves 10. Pan of graves Pyongyang 11. North Korean deputy leader Kim Yong Nam greeting and shaking hands with Wen 12. Wide of group photo of Chinese delegation posing with Kim 13. Various of meeting between Kim and Wen STORYLINE: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited a cemetery in North Korea on Monday for Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War. Wen and his delegation inspected wreaths and visited graves at the site in Hoechang county, south of the North Korean capital. He also visited the grave of Mao Anying, the first son Mao Zedong, who was killed in action during the Korean War. Wen then met the North's deputy leader Kim Yong Nam in Pyongyang, where the two held talks. Wen's three-day visit at the head of a high-level delegation is meant to celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the neighbours, but will include meetings with the North's leader Kim Jong Il who on on Sunday staged a lavish reception for the Chinese. Western analysts are watching for signs that Wen's visit might lead to Pyongyang returning to nuclear disarmament talks after conducting a nuclear test in April. On Sunday, Kim greeted Wen personally at the city's airport embracing him on a red carpet and standing beside him as a military band played their country's respective national anthems. Wen was then driven into the tightly controlled capital in an open-topped car as residents lining the streets danced, waved bunches of flowers, and shouted greetings in unison. The lavish welcome was a rare honour for a non-head of state, underscoring the importance the North places on its communist neighbours and offering a strong indication that it is planning to re-engage its negotiating partners after boycotting talks while threatening nuclear war and conducting nuclear and missile tests. Although Wen's three-day visit is officially being held to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations, analysts say they doubt he would have agreed to the trip without assurances of new talks. Kim has reportedly expressed a willingness to engage in "bilateral and multilateral talks," although it's unclear if that indicates a willingness to rejoin stalled six-nation disarmament talks that also involve the US, Japan, South Korea and Russia. China hosts the talks and continues to promote them as the best forum for dealing with the issue. Pyongyang, however, is believed to favour direct negotiations with the United States. During his visit, Wen is overseeing a series of agreements on trade and other bilateral issues, will meet with top leaders, and attend events commemorating historical ties. Under the six-nation framework, North Korea pledged in September 2005 to dismantle its nuclear programs in exchange for pledges of energy assistance and diplomatic concessions. Progress has been bumpy, and North Korea walked away from the talks in April to protest world criticism of a rocket launch. In May, it further escalated tensions by conducting a nuclear test, drawing a rebuke from Beijing and sanctions from the United Nations. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/7a0a9a8ca84f14b8979ddcc2bc5dbd3b

• published: 23 Jul 2015
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