Pyongyang: North Korea and China reaffirmed their commitment to supporting each other's interests and pledged to usher in a new era in bilateral relations, Pyongyang's state media reported Tuesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping held summit talks the previous day, where they agreed to put their traditional friendship on firmer ground and expand cooperation across politics, the economy, culture, science, and the military.
The report highlighted that "the two leaders discussed important issues to bring DPRK-China's traditional friendly ties to a firmer ground," adding they "reached an agreement to open a new era" in their relations. DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The two leaders also agreed to strengthen strategic cooperation and defend each other's sovereignty and safety.
Kim Jong-un emphasized that strengthening ties with China was his country's most important strategic mission and one he was committed to seeing through. Xi Jinping's visit to Pyongyang, his first in seven years, signaled both nations' desire to restore their traditional ties, which appeared to have cooled amid North Korea's close alignment with Russia.
KCNA noted that Kim acknowledged Xi's choice of Pyongyang as his first overseas destination of the year, highlighting the importance Beijing placed on their relationship. Kim also pointed out the steady expansion of exchanges and cooperation since the two leaders last met in Beijing in September.
Xi Jinping reaffirmed China's support for North Korea and its resolve to protect Pyongyang's interests and strategic environment, regardless of the international situation's dynamics.
The Pyongyang meeting was described as unfolding "at a new strategic level," with the visit coinciding with "the significant year marking the 65th anniversary of the conclusion of the DPRK-China Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance."
Conspicuously absent from the discussions was any mention of nuclear issues or the broader situation on the Korean Peninsula. Neither the KCNA nor China's Xinhua News Agency referred to these matters. During Xi's last visit to Pyongyang in 2019, he had mentioned China's commitment to working toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Chinese state media reported that Xi called for stronger cooperation with North Korea across diplomacy, law enforcement, and military sectors. Before departing for Beijing, Xi is expected to pay tribute to the Friendship Tower, a monument honoring Chinese soldiers who fought alongside North Korean forces during the 1950-1953 Korean War, symbolizing the alliance between the two nations.