Story highlights During his recent visit to Asia, Trump called for diplomatic pressure on Pyongyang

Expert says the North Korean nuclear program is "very likely" to be discussed

(CNN) US President Donald Trump has hailed the Chinese government sending an envoy to North Korea Friday as a "big move" in the wake of his five-country trip to Asia.

In a Tweet late Thursday, Trump appeared to suggest it could lead to developments in the nuclear standoff on the Korean peninsula.

"China is sending an envoy and delegation to North Korea - A big move, we'll see what happens!" Trump said.

The US leader has just finished a two-week tour of Asia, including a stop in Beijing, during which he called for greater diplomatic pressure to be put on North Korea to abandon its nuclear program.

Song Tao, head of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, is due to arrive in North Korea on Friday, state news agency Xinhua reported Wednesday. It's the first time a senior official has made a public visit to North Korea this year.

Read More