North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping have agreed to expand cooperation in politics, the economy and culture during a summit in Pyongyang, marking what North Korean state media described as a new chapter in relations between the two countries.
According to North Korea’s official KCNA news agency, Xi, making his first visit to China’s only formal treaty ally in seven years, told Kim he wanted to advance bilateral relations. Both leaders agreed to strengthen strategic communication through more frequent exchanges by senior officials.
Kim also pledged support for the “One China principle”, which Beijing says means both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China regardless of changing international circumstances.
China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the self-governing island under its control. Taiwan rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.
During his visit, Xi paid tribute at the Sino-Korean Friendship Tower, a monument honouring Chinese soldiers who died during the Korean War, according to China’s Xinhua news agency.
The two leaders also jointly planted a fir tree at a political training school for party officials. Xinhua said the gesture symbolised an “ever-renewing friendship” between the neighbouring countries.
The summit underscores the importance of ties between China and North Korea at a time of shifting geopolitical dynamics in East Asia and continued international scrutiny of Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmes.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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