Pyongyang: A senior North Korean party official and China's top political adviser have met in Pyongyang and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral exchanges and cooperation, the North's state media said Thursday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Jo Yong-won, a secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, and Wang Huning, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), held talks Wednesday. Wang is leading a Chinese party and government delegation on a three-day visit to North Korea through Friday to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between the two countries.
During the talks, Jo emphasized the need for the two countries to strengthen militant unity, support, and solidarity given the rapidly changing international political situation. He noted that bilateral ties have entered a new stage of development under the leadership of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Jo expressed Pyongyang's willingness to expand strategic communication and cooperation across various sectors.
Wang reaffirmed China's commitment to elevating bilateral ties, citing the friendship treaty as a legal foundation for the "militant friendship formed at the cost of blood" between the two countries. He highlighted the consensus reached by Xi and Kim during their summit in Pyongyang in June as a guiding framework for enhancing relations.
The discussions also explored ways to deepen party-to-party exchanges and expand cooperation in fields such as the economy and culture, aiming to promote the well-being of their peoples. Wang's visit follows North Korean Premier Pak Thae-song's recent trip to China to attend events marking the treaty anniversary, where he met with Xi and other senior Chinese leaders.
The exchange of high-level delegations underscores increasingly active contacts between Pyongyang and Beijing as they seek to reaffirm their traditionally close ties and deepen cooperation.