Xi reaffirms commitment to strengthening ties with N. Korea in reply to Kim Jong-un's letter
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands ahead of their summit in Pyongyang, June 8. Courtesy of China's foreign ministry
Chinese President Xi Jinping has reaffirmed Beijing's commitment to strengthening ties with North Korea, saying the two countries have long supported each other across generations, the North's state media reported Thursday.
Xi made the remarks in a reply sent to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday, responding to Kim's Oct. 1 congratulatory message marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of China, in which Kim pledged to further develop their traditional friendship and safeguard shared interests.
Xi said the two countries are geographically connected and that their friendship and shared destiny have long been defining features of bilateral relations, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Xi also highlighted the outcome of his state visit to North Korea in June, saying the two leaders reached important common understandings on deepening bilateral ties and further strengthening strategic guidance for their development.
"China is ready to work with North Korea to carry forward the traditional friendship between the two nations, consolidate mutual political trust, expand practical cooperation and maintain close communication and coordination," Xi said, according to the Korean-language dispatch by the KCNA, which did not carry an English version of the report.
The Chinese president added that such efforts would "promote the well-being of the two peoples and contribute to peace and development in the region and the world."
Relations between Pyongyang and Beijing faced strains in 2024 amid North Korea's deepening ties with Russia. But the two sides have moved to restore their longstanding ties following Kim's attendance at China's Victory Day military parade in 2025 and Xi's visit to North Korea this year.
Exchanges and cooperation have also shown signs of expanding. Last week, the two countries opened the Amnok River Bridge, also known as the New Yalu River Bridge, linking the North's border city of Sinuiju with China's Dandong.