Xi calls for deeper China-DPRK ties

He says in meeting with Kim that the two sides should pool wisdom, strength for greater progress of relations

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, said on Monday that the firm stance of the CPC and the Chinese government on highly valuing the traditional friendship with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea will not change, and he pledged to work with DPRK top leader Kim Jong-un to keep bilateral relations advancing with the times and achieve greater progress.

Xi made the remarks in Pyongyang, the capital of the DPRK, during his talks with Kim, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK.

Xi arrived in Pyongyang on Monday for a two-day state visit to the DPRK, his first to the neighboring country in seven years and his first overseas trip this year.

During talks with Kim, Xi said that after seven years, he was very pleased to once again visit the beautiful city of Pyongyang, and felt especially warm and familiar.

He expressed his readiness to work with Kim to take this visit as an opportunity to strengthen top-level planning and strategic guidance for China-DPRK relations in the new era, keep bilateral relations advancing with the times and achieve greater progress in bilateral ties, in order to better benefit the two countries and peoples, and make positive contributions to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region and the world.

Stressing that China and the DPRK are both socialist countries led by communist parties, Xi said that the traditional friendship between the two countries is rooted in their shared ideals and beliefs as well as their common goals, and is backed by a profound historical foundation, a solid political basis and strong emotional bonds.

Xi noted that friendship passed down from generation to generation, a shared future and mutual support have always been the defining features of China-DPRK relations.

No matter how the international situation changes, the CPC and the Chinese government's firm stance on highly valuing China-DPRK traditional friendship will not change, the firm support for Kim in leading the DPRK's socialist cause will not change, and the firm commitment to safeguarding the shared interests of the two countries and preserving a favorable strategic environment will not change, Xi said.

He pointed out that, in the face of profound changes unseen in a century that are accelerating across the world, the two sides should take a broad and long-term view, build on past achievements and open up a new future, draw wisdom from the development process of the relations between the two parties and the two countries, seize opportunities in the prevailing trend of human history, inject new contemporary connotations and strong impetus into the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK, and open up a brighter prospect for the socialist cause of the two countries as well as regional peace and development.

During the meeting, Xi put forward four proposals on developing China-DPRK relations.

The two sides should remain guided by the high-level exchanges and consolidate the foundation of political mutual trust, Xi said.

The strategic guidance by the top leaders of both nations is the greatest strength of China-DPRK relations, Xi added, noting that he stands ready to maintain close strategic communication with Kim and guide China-DPRK relations to continuously reach new heights.

Noting that this year marks the 65th anniversary of the China-DPRK Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, Xi said that both sides will hold grand commemorative events.

The relations between the two parties play an important guiding role in the development of China-DPRK relations, Xi said, calling for further expansion and invigoration of friendly exchanges at various levels and in various fields between the two parties, as well as the deepening of exchanges of experience and mutual learning on party and state governance.

Both sides should enhance exchanges in diplomacy, law enforcement, military affairs and other areas, implement the important consensus reached between the two leaders, and pool wisdom and strength for the development of China-DPRK relations, Xi said.

The two sides should stay committed to the goal of delivering benefits to the people and elevate the level of practical cooperation, Xi said. China stands ready to work with the DPRK to strengthen the alignment of development strategies, and to expand practical cooperation in areas such as economy and trade, agriculture, construction, science and technology, and healthcare, to bring greater benefits to the two peoples, he added.

Xi called on both sides to leverage the opportunity of the full reopening of border crossings and the resumption of civil aviation flights and international passenger trains to increase people-to-people exchanges and foster mutual interaction.