Chinese vice president to visit north Korea

Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao will visit North Korea from Thursday to attend activities in commemoration of the 60th anniversary for the truce of the 1950-1953 Korea War, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Wednesday. At the invitation of North Korea, Li will head a Chinese delegation during the four-day visit to the country, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei made the announcement, according to the report. The armistice day falls on July 27 and the North plans a large scale military parade in central Pyongyang to celebrate the victory in the "Fatherland Liberation War." The two Koreas are still technically at war since the 1950-1953 Korean War ended without a formal peace treaty. Li is the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit the North since Li Jianguo, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, paid a call in November 2012. China is traditionally North Korea's closest ally and a major economic benefactor.