There were no overt signs of celebrations being planned along major roads in Pyongyang on Saturday, the eve of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between North Korea and China.
On the occasion of the 60th anniversary, then Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited North Korea, but neither Beijing nor Pyongyang has announced whether a senior Chinese official is visiting the North Korean capital for the 70th anniversary.
In Pyongyang, a stamp commemorating the anniversary is on sale, and pictures looking back at the history of ties between the two countries are displayed in front of the Chinese Embassy. But those are among the most obvious signs of North Korea commemorating the anniversary so far.
Some foreign affairs experts say the two nations may be refraining from enlivening the mood of friendship between them, with North Korea and the United States expected to resume their stalled denuclearization negotiations.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been pushing for bilateral talks with North Korea, has been unhappy that China, North Korea's closest and most influential ally, may meddle in the nuclear talks, the experts said.
China, for its part, has been engaged in a tit-for-tat tariff dispute with the United States since early last year.
Until late 2017, relations between Beijing and Pyongyang had soured over North Korea's pursuit of intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons, which could pose a direct threat to China in the future.
Sino-North Korean ties, however, subsequently improved, with leader Kim Jong Un beginning his diplomatic outreach early last year. He has since visited China four times for talks with President Xi Jinping. In June, Xi also became the country's first head of state to visit North Korea in 14 years.
On Oct. 6, 1949, China and North Korea established diplomatic relations. They fought together in the 1950-1953 Korean War against U.S.-led United Nations forces and have long been described as "blood brothers." The war ended in a cease-fire.
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