China's Xi Jinping and North Korea's Kim Jong Un Pledge to Boost Ties

The Rare Pyongyang Summit

China's President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have pledged to deepen their cooperation, according to state media, as Xi made a rare visit to Pyongyang.

During a summit late on Monday, Xi told Kim he aimed to drive progress in ties, and both leaders agreed to strive for closer strategic communication, the official KCNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

Strengthening Strategic Cooperation

Kim, for his part, affirmed that North Korea and China will maintain their friendship as “the most important top-priority strategic work”, the KCNA reported.

Kim called Xi “the greatest state guest”, saying he views the fact that Xi chose North Korea as a destination for his first foreign travel this year as “the most encouraging support” to North Korea, according to KCNA.

Kim also reiterated Pyongyang’s support for Beijing’s “one China principle”, a reference to Beijing’s official position that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory.

A New Historical Starting Point

Xi marked the occasion – the 65th anniversary of the neighbours’ friendship treaty – by declaring that relations had reached “a new historical starting point”, according to KCNA.

It was Xi’s first visit to North Korea in seven years. Xi and Kim last met in Beijing in September after viewing a military parade alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and other foreign leaders.

Nuclear Tensions

Separately, North Korean media did not say whether Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons programme or relations ⁠with the United States figured in Xi-Kim talks.

Before Xi’s arrival, Kim announced plans to increase nuclear production capacity exponentially. North Korea’s weapons programme has driven closer defence ties between the US, Japan and South Korea, something that Beijing has opposed.