SEOUL, September 05 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing on Thursday for their first summit in nearly seven years, signaling an effort to revive ties that had weakened as Pyongyang deepened its alignment with Moscow.
The two leaders held talks at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday, the day after attending China's "Victory Day" military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim's visit was a "historic occasion which further strengthened the political trust and strategic cooperation" between the two countries, highlighting the "invariability and invincibility" of bilateral ties forged in their shared "socialist" struggle.
Kim reaffirmed Pyongyang's support for Beijing, stating that North Korea would "ever invariably support and encourage the stand and efforts" of China to defend the "sovereignty, territorial integrity and development interests."
Xi, for his part, emphasized the resilience of the relationship, calling China and North Korea as "good neighbors, good friends and good comrades who share the destiny and help each other." According to KCNA, Xi said, "No matter how the international situation may change, this stand will not change."
After the talks, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued its own statement. Regarding the Korean Peninsula issue, "China has maintained an objective and just position, and will continue to step up coordination with the DPRK and make utmost efforts to preserve peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula."
The ministry added that Pyongyang praised Beijing's "just position" and expressed its willingness to work more closely with "China at the U.N. and other multilateral platforms" to safeguard common interests. North Korea also voiced hopes of expanding mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation to deliver "more fruitful outcomes."
Notably, the official statements from the two countries diverged on a key point. While China highlighted the Korean Peninsula issue, North Korea made no mention of it.
At the same time, neither side mentioned denuclearization. During Kim's four previous trips to China in 2018 and 2019, official statements included Kim's commitment to denuclearization and Xi's endorsement of that goal. This time, such language was absent, suggesting a clear shift in priorities toward reinforcing political and economic ties.
Kim wrapped up his fifth and longest trip to China on Thursday with his armored train leaving Beijing Station around 10 p.m. His stay in the capital lasted about 54 hours, part of a four-night and five-day overall visit. He is expected to arrive back in Pyongyang on Friday afternoon.
Meanwhile, his daughter, Ju-ae, who was spotted upon arrival in Beijing, did not appear at subsequent events, including the parade and summits.
reporter
Cheon Soram
cheons@ajupress.com
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