Beijing:Seoul: A senior official from North Korea's ruling party has engaged in a series of high-level meetings in Beijing, as confirmed by North Korean state media on Saturday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim Song-nam, a member of the Political Bureau and Central Committee secretary of North Korea's Workers' Party of Korea, met with Liu Haixing, head of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee's International Liaison Department, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse on Friday. This meeting marked Kim's third such engagement with a senior Chinese official since his arrival in Beijing on Tuesday, reflecting ongoing efforts by the two countries to strengthen ties and expand cooperation in the wake of the June summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang.
During the meeting, Kim Song-nam discussed Pyongyang's "successes" in party-building initiatives and emphasized the nation's efforts to achieve the goals set forth in the five-year plan adopted at the party's ninth congress in February. Liu Haixing highlighted the significance of Kim's visit in bolstering relations between the two countries. Both parties reaffirmed their support for each other's policies and committed to enhancing cooperation. Following their discussions, China hosted a reception for the North Korean delegation.
In addition to his meeting with Liu, Kim Song-nam also met with Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and director of its General Office. During this meeting, Kim reiterated Pyongyang's dedication to closer ties with China. Cai Qi noted that President Xi's visit in June had imbued the relationship with a "fresh significance of the times" and assured that China's commitment to its friendship with North Korea would remain steadfast regardless of the changing international landscape.
Kim's visit included a meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday, with the delegation's arrival in Beijing seen as an effort to reinforce bilateral cooperation following a period of perceived cooling in relations amid North Korea's growing alignment with Russia over the conflict in Ukraine.