Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan is on a five-day working visit to three North Asia countries from Sunday (May 24).In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said the visit to China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and South Korea are part of Singapore's ongoing efforts to engage external partners amidst global challenges.DPRK is North Korea's official name.Dr Balakrishnan is expected to meet with his counterparts in the three countries to reaffirm bilateral ties. He will also exchange views with his counterparts on regional and international developments.In China on Monday, he will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, Liu Haixing.Both foreign ministers have been in their respective roles for over a decade. Wang Yi was first appointed to the role in 2013, while Dr Balakrishnan became Singapore's foreign minister in 2015. Dr Balakrishnan will then fly to Pyongyang, where he is scheduled to meet with DPRK Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui. Read more