NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to further strengthen relations with China, describing recent summit discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Pyongyang as a “historic occasion” that deepened bilateral trust and cooperation.
In a congratulatory message marking the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, Kim reiterated Pyongyang’s commitment to long-standing ties with Beijing, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
“It is the steadfast stand of our Party and government to steadily develop the DPRK-China friendly relations with long and historical roots and with socialism as their core,” Kim said in the message.
“The recent Pyongyang summit was a historic occasion of deepening the comradely friendship and trust between us,” he added, noting that both sides had reaffirmed their “unshakeable will” to advance traditional bilateral relations.
Kim also expressed readiness to work closely with Xi to further expand what he described as “friendly and cooperative relations” between North Korea and China, calling them “the common wealth of the peoples of the two countries”.
The statement comes weeks after Xi made a rare visit to Pyongyang, during which both leaders reportedly agreed to strengthen cooperation, including in areas of diplomacy, law enforcement and military coordination.
Chinese state media said the two sides also outlined a “far-reaching blueprint” for bilateral ties and pledged to elevate their traditional relationship into “the most powerful and strategic relations”.
While North Korea has significantly deepened military cooperation with Russia amid the war in Ukraine, China remains its most important economic partner, accounting for nearly 98 per cent of Pyongyang’s foreign trade in 2024, according to South Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance. - July 1, 2026
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