A senior North Korean ruling party official has arrived in China, the North's state media confirmed Wednesday, a visit that underscores deepening cooperation between Pyongyang and Beijing. Kim Song-nam, a member of the Political Bureau of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and a party secretary, embarked on a trip to China on Tuesday, leading a party delegation, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). His visit came at the invitation of China's Communist Party's Central Committee. The delegation's arrival came just 10 days after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a surprise visit to the Chinese border city of Dandong — an indication that the two countries are stepping up efforts to reinforce high-level exchanges and traditional ties. North Korea and China have been deepening their cooperation after bilateral relations had chilled amid Pyongyang's closer ties with Russia over the Ukraine war. Upon arrival at a Chinese airport, Kim and his delegation were greeted by Deputy Head Sun Haiyan and other officials of the International Liaison Department of the Chinese party and No