N. Korea calls Kim-Xi Pyongyang summit 'historic milestone' in strategic ties

Kim Jong-un, Xi Jinping hold talks at Kumsusan Guest House on Monday

Kim voices 'full support' for China's 'One China' principle

Xi pledges to defend shared interests and strategic environment

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold a summit at the Kumsusan Guest House on Monday, KCNA reported Tuesday. The two leaders pose for a commemorative photo. [Yonhap]

North Korea has described the Pyongyang summit between leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping as a historic occasion that demonstrated the enduring nature of their friendship and set a new milestone in the development of the two countries' strategic cooperative relationship.

KCNA reported Tuesday on the talks held Monday, saying the two sides agreed to mark the 65th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between North Korea and China by holding commemorative events, and to further strengthen strategic communication through high-level exchanges between the two parties and governments. The two sides also agreed to expand exchanges and cooperation across political, economic and cultural fields, "opening a new chapter in the development of relations" between the two countries, the agency said.

Kim held talks with Xi at the Kumsusan Guest House, where he displayed personal warmth toward the Chinese leader and expressed support for Beijing's "One China" principle.

According to KCNA, Kim welcomed Xi as a state guest of the highest honor and said Xi's choice of Pyongyang as his first overseas destination this year was "the highest expression of importance attached to North Korea-China friendship and the greatest show of support for our people," adding that "Pyongyang considers this an honor." Kim said the visit would "once again demonstrate how solid the time-tested friendship between the two countries is — standing together on the right side of history in the pursuit of independence and justice, and through whatever upheavals the international situation may bring."

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold a summit at the Kumsusan Guest House on Monday, KCNA reported Tuesday. [Yonhap]

Kim also spoke of the immutable and invincible nature of the North Korea-China relationship, and said exchanges and cooperation between the two countries had been developing vigorously across multiple areas since their meeting in Beijing last September to mark the 80th anniversary of China's victory in World War II.

He went on to say that the Korean Workers' Party and the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea would "continue to uphold North Korea-China friendship as the foremost and most important strategic priority," and pledged to make every effort to strengthen and develop bilateral ties as a model of relations between socialist states — "a special, genuine and solid strategic relationship that cannot be changed." He called this "our unwavering choice and will," KCNA said.

Kim also expressed satisfaction at the achievements China had made under Xi's leadership in building a modern socialist state, saying they had "astonished the world" and elevated China's international standing to an "absolute height." He added that regardless of how the situation evolves, the party and government would "fully support China's party and government policies and positions in defending its core interests on the basis of the One China principle" — lending explicit backing to Beijing's stance on Taiwan, Hong Kong and related issues.

In response, Xi said China's "firm position of attaching great importance to traditional China-North Korea friendship will not change, whatever the international situation," KCNA reported. He added that China's "firm support for the socialist cause of Korea led by General Secretary Kim Jong-un will not change," and that its "firm resolve to defend the common interests of both sides and a favorable strategic environment will not change."

KCNA said Xi also expressed willingness to use the visit as an opportunity to work with Kim on charting a blueprint for bilateral relations in a new era — continuously strengthening exchanges and cooperation so that ties advance further with the times, contributing to the socialist construction of both countries, the well-being of their peoples, and the promotion of peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world.

The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues, KCNA said. However, there was no mention of denuclearization or any nuclear-related matters.

KCNA said the talks covered ways to strengthen strategic coordination and cooperation between the two parties and countries amid a "complex and rapidly changing global political situation," to firmly defend the sovereignty, security and development interests of both nations, and to jointly safeguard regional and world peace and development — with the two sides reaching "satisfactory agreement." The talks were also described as having been held in a "comradely and friendly atmosphere."

KCNA added that the Pyongyang summit between Kim and Xi "vividly demonstrated the immutable nature of North Korea-China friendship, which has been continuously consolidated and developed through the common struggle for the socialist cause," calling it "a historic occasion that has set a new milestone in the development of the strategic cooperative relationship between the two parties and two countries."

moone@heraldcorp.com