Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrives in Pyongyang today at the invitation of his counterpart Ri Yong-ho. This comes after the historic meeting between leaders of the DPRK and South Korea, and before that of the US President and Kim Jong Un. Li Jianhua spoke to an expert in international affairs to give us a preview of Wang's trip, and examine China's stance on the DPRK issue.

Seasoned mediator of the DPRK issue, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi sets off for Pyongyang. This is the second high-level talks between China and the DPRK this year - the first being Kim Jong-un's four-day trip to Beijing in March. Experts say Kim's decision to denuclearize the peninsula made that visit possible and this topic will still be top of the agenda for the foreign ministers' meeting.

YANG XIYU, SENIOR FELLOW CHINA INSTITUTE OF INT'L STUDIES "China has a long-time (consistent) position, (calling for) denuclearization of the whole peninsula. And by Kim Jong Un's visit to Beijing (recently), he returned to the denuclearisation position. Now we have a shared goal for the future."

Thing are changing on the peninsula - the US will talk directly with the DPRK within weeks, and the two Koreas held a historic meeting last week. As always, China is happy to see such progress.

HUA CHUNYING, SPOKESWOMAN CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY "We hope and look forward to seeing that the two Koreas could start a new chapter in securing peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula after the Panmunjom meeting."

Some observers say Beijing has been sidelined on the DPRK issue. But experts say China is vital to the process, because the DPRK trusts it.

YANG XIYU, SENIOR FELLOW CHINA INSTITUTE OF INT’L STUDIES "Unfortunately, between the two Koreas, between the DPRK and the US, the mutual trust is almost zero."

China has been promoting a "double suspension" mechanism - the DPRK suspending its nuclear activities in exchange for the suspension of US-South Korea military exercises.

Beijing also hopes the Six-party talks - which broke down in 2009 - could resume.

LI JIANHUA BEIJING "Despite the speculations -- be it that China doesn't want to be marginalized in the DPRK issue, or saying it's afraid the DPRK government may collapse -- Beijing's efforts to ease tensions on the peninsula have never swerved. It's consistently called for dialogues among all relevant parties, and those talks seem to be happening now. LJH, CGTN.BJ."