Foreign Minister Cho Hyun departed for China on Friday for talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on bilateral relations and issues concerning the Korean Peninsula, including the possibility of renewed dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang. Cho was scheduled to hold talks with Wang later in the day, followed by a dinner hosted by the Chinese foreign minister, according to the foreign ministry. "We plan to discuss the overall state of bilateral relations, particularly issues that need to be coordinated between the two countries ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit," Cho told reporters at Gimpo International Airport before departing for China. His visit comes ahead of President Lee Jae Myung's planned trip to China for the APEC summit in Shenzhen from Wednesday to Thursday, and the ministerial meeting was expected to help lay the groundwork for a potential meeting between Lee and Chinese President Xi Jinping. "We plan to hold comprehensive discussions with China on these issues, particularly North Korea-related matters, including the possibility of U.S.-No