Chinese President Xi Jinping said he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reached an “important consensus” and agreed to safeguard regional and global peace, in a message of thanks following his visit to Pyongyang, North Korean state media KCNA said on Wednesday.
– In the message carried in full by KCNA, Xi said the two sides had “exchanged in-depth views on issues of common concern and reached a series of important joint consensus,” reflecting their determination to further deepen ties.
– Looking ahead, Xi said he was willing to work with Kim “based on fundamental and long-term interests” to “steadily safeguard, consolidate and develop” bilateral ties and contribute more to regional and global peace and development.
– He also said the visit had been “successfully concluded” and that relations had entered “a new historical stage,” while expressing hope to meet Kim again.
– Xi visited Pyongyang from Monday to Tuesday in his first trip to North Korea in seven years. Xi said the visit had established a deeper, more comprehensive understanding yielding a clearer path for development of ties, China’s official Xinhua news agency said.
– The two leaders agreed to expand cooperation across politics, the economy, trade and culture, while pledging closer strategic communication between their governments, according to both countries’ state media.
– “Practical cooperation is an important driving force behind the development of China-DPRK relations,” Xinhua said, noting also sectors such as agriculture, technology and construction.
– Both nations should also capitalise on a full reopening of border crossings and the resumption of civil aviation flights and international passenger trains, Chinese official media said.
– Other KCNA reports on Wednesday said the two leaders paid tribute at Pyongyang’s Sino-Korean Friendship Tower that commemorates Chinese soldiers who died in the Korean War and toured a political training school for party cadres.