金正恩派特使去中國

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent a senior military official as a special envoy to China, at a time of strained relations between the two traditional allies.

The official Korean Central News Agency said Choe Ryong Hae, the director of the General Political Bureau of the North Korean army, left Pyongyang for China Wednesday along with a government delegation. No details about the purpose of the trip were given.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said Beijing plans to discuss the situation on the Korean peninsula and "issues of common concern" with Choe.
It is believed to be one of the highest-level delegations North Korea has sent to Beijing since Mr. Kim took over leadership of the country following the death of his father in late 2011.

China has long been North Korea's main ally and primary economic lifeline. But there are signs that the new leadership in Beijing is growing impatient with the North.

The brief KCNA report detailing Choe's visit also indicated that North Korea has again reshuffled the top ranks of its military. The report named Kim Kyok Sik, a hawkish general, as the North's new military chief.朝鮮領導人金正恩派遣一名高層軍方官員作爲特使前往中國，目前這兩個傳統盟友之間的關係處於緊張狀態。

朝鮮官方的朝中社說，朝鮮人民軍總政治局局長崔龍海星期三率領一個政府代表團離開平壤前往中國。朝中社的報道沒有透露有關這次訪問目的的任何細節。

中國外交部發言人洪磊說， 北京將跟崔龍海討論朝鮮半島的局勢以及其他“共同關注”的問題。

自金正恩在他父親2011年去世後接掌領導權以來，據信這是朝鮮派往北京的最高級別代表團之一。

中國長期以來一直是朝鮮的主要盟友和經濟支柱。但有跡象顯示，北京新領導層對朝鮮漸漸失去耐心。