On June 8-9, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President, paid a two-day state visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), his first to the neighboring country in seven years and his first overseas trip this year.

China and the DPRK should consolidate the foundation of political mutual trust and raise the level of practical cooperation, Xi said during his talks with Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and President of the State Affairs of the DPRK.

Xi expressed his readiness to work with Kim to use this visit as an opportunity to strengthen top-level planning and strategic guidance for China-DPRK relations in the new era, ensure bilateral relations continue to advance with the times and achieve greater overall progress in bilateral ties, so as to better benefit the two countries and peoples, and make positive contributions to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region and the world.

In-depth talks

Stressing that China and the DPRK are both socialist countries led by communist parties, Xi said the traditional friendship between the two countries is rooted in their shared ideals and beliefs as well as their common goals, and is backed by a profound historical foundation, a solid political basis and strong emotional bonds.

Friendship passed down from generation to generation, a shared future and mutual support have always been the defining features of China-DPRK relations, he said.

No matter how the international situation changes, the Chinese party and government's firm stance on highly valuing China-DPRK traditional friendship will not change, the firm support for Kim in leading the DPRK's socialist cause will not change, and the firm commitment to safeguarding the shared interests of the two countries and preserving a favorable strategic environment will not change, Xi said.

Xi pointed out that, in the face of the profound changes unseen in a century that are accelerating across the world, the two sides should take a broad and long-term view, build on past achievements and open up a new future, draw wisdom from the development process of the relations between the two parties and the two countries, seize opportunities in the prevailing trend of human history, inject new contemporary connotations and strong impetus into the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK, and open up a brighter prospect for the socialist cause of the two countries as well as for regional peace and development.

During the meeting, Xi put forward four proposals on developing China-DPRK relations.

First, the two sides should stay guided by the high-level exchanges and consolidate the foundation of political mutual trust. The strategic guidance by the top leaders of both nations is the greatest strength of China-DPRK relations, Xi said, adding that he stands ready to maintain close strategic communication with Kim and guide China-DPRK relations to continuously reach new heights.

Noting that this year is the 65th anniversary of the China-DPRK Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, Xi said both sides will hold grand commemorative events.

The relations between the two parties play an important guiding role in the development of China-DPRK relations, Xi said, calling for further expansion and invigoration of friendly exchange at all levels and in all fields between the two parties, as well as the deepening of exchanges of experience and mutual learning on party and state governance.

Both sides should enhance exchange in diplomacy, law enforcement, military affairs and other areas, implement the important consensus reached between the two leaders, and pool wisdom and strength for the development of China-DPRK relations, Xi said.

Second, the two sides should remain committed to the goal of delivering benefits to the people and elevate the level of practical cooperation. Xi said China stands ready to work with the DPRK to strengthen the alignment of development strategies, and expand practical cooperation in such areas as economics and trade, agriculture, construction, science and technology, and healthcare, to bring greater benefits to the two peoples.

He called on both sides to leverage the opportunity of the full reopening of border crossings and the resumption of civil aviation flights and international passenger trains to increase people-to-people exchange and foster mutual interaction.

Third, the two sides should uphold the inheritance of friendship as a driving force and strengthen the bonds between their peoples. Xi said the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK, forged in blood, is a valuable shared asset of the two peoples.

China stands ready to work with the DPRK to preserve and properly manage the memorial facilities dedicated to the Chinese People's Volunteers martyrs in the DPRK, carry out distinctive programs on revolutionary traditions and youth education, and pass on the red legacy and traditional friendship between the two countries, he noted.

China is also ready to work with the DPRK to make full use of each side's strengths and resources, enhance exchange and cooperation in education, culture and the arts, tourism, sports, media, youth affairs, subnational engagement and sister-city relations, and ensure that the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK takes deeper root in the hearts of the two peoples, Xi said.

Fourth, the two sides should uphold fairness and justice as a guiding principle to enrich the substance of strategic coordination. Xi said, in response to the major question of where humanity is headed, he has proposed the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity and the four global initiatives, which aim to steer global governance toward greater fairness and justice and have won broad support and positive responses from the international community, including the DPRK.

Noting that Asia is the common home in which the countries of the region, including China and the DPRK, live and thrive, Xi said the two countries should strengthen strategic coordination, firmly safeguard their respective sovereignty, security and development interests, and jointly uphold regional peace and development.

Calling Xi the most respected guest of the DPRK people, Kim said Xi's choice of Pyongyang for his first overseas trip this year fully reflects the great importance he attaches to DPRK-China relations and the profound friendship between the two countries, which is a tremendous encouragement to the DPRK side.

This visit once again clearly demonstrates that the DPRK-China relationship is unbreakable, Kim said. He noted that the bilateral ties are time-tested and have always stood on the right side of history and championed autonomy and justice.

The special nature of the bilateral relations lies not only in the fact that the two countries are close neighbors, but also in the deep traditional friendship and shared ideals and convictions, which both sides cherish and are committed to carrying forward from generation to generation, Kim said.

Kim also recalled his meeting with Xi in Beijing last September, noting that since then, the bilateral relations have achieved positive progress in many fields, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples.

He voiced sincere appreciation for the important proposals put forward by Xi on advancing DPRK-China relations in the new era, adding that relevant departments of the DPRK will work closely with their Chinese counterparts and make every effort to fully implement the proposals, promote new progress in bilateral exchange and cooperation in such areas as economy and trade, infrastructure, science and technology, education, as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and strengthen exchanges of experience and mutual learning through inter-party channels to provide valuable support for the development of the DPRK's socialist cause, so as to help the DPRK people advance toward modernization together with the Chinese people.

Kim said the DPRK is pleased to see that, under the leadership of General Secretary Xi, China has achieved development accomplishments that have amazed the world and significantly enhanced its international status.

He noted that the concept of a community with a shared future for humanity and the four major global initiatives proposed by Xi carry profound significance for promoting world peace and development, and have won the support and appreciation of people around the world.

Kim said the international community has been undergoing unprecedented and profound changes in recent years, stating that the DPRK will unwaveringly uphold the one-China principle and firmly support China's policies and positions on safeguarding its core interests.

He stressed that consolidating and developing the DPRK-China friendship in the new era is the choice of the peoples of the two countries and a necessity of the times, and remains the DPRK's consistent strategic choice and steadfast strategic resolve.

He said the DPRK will, as always, regard the development of DPRK-China relations as the foremost strategic undertaking of the state, spare no effort to build bilateral relations into a model of interstate relations, and work together with China to contribute to peace and prosperity in the region and the world.

Rich activities

Before the meeting, Kim held a grand welcome ceremony for Xi at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang. The two leaders jointly ascended the review stand. Amid a 21-gun salute, the military band played the national anthems of China and the DPRK.

Accompanied by Kim, Xi inspected the honor guard of the three services of the Korean People's Army. After that, Xi and Kim together watched a march-past.

On the same day, Xi attended a welcome banquet hosted by Kim, during which Xi said the relationship between China and the DPRK stands at a new historical starting point and that he reached important consensus with Kim during the visit.

From the strategic perspective of the future and destiny of socialism, both leaders have agreed to seize the general trend of the times, respond to the shared aspirations of the two peoples, strengthen high-level exchange, deepen strategic communication, expand practical cooperation, enhance people-to-people bonds, promote the high-level development of China-DPRK relations, jointly open up brighter prospects for the socialist cause of both countries, and contribute to the continuous progress of human society, Xi said.

Following the banquet, Xi and Kim watched an artistic performance at the Pyongyang Gymnasium.

On June 9, Xi paid homage to the China-DPRK Friendship Tower with his wife Peng Liyuan, in the company of Kim and his wife Ri Sol Ju.

Xi and Kim agreed that the two countries should carry forward their great traditional friendship from generation to generation. They also agreed that the years when China and the DPRK fought side by side in the 1950s are an eternal historical memory shared by both sides.

The two leaders pledged to jointly maintain memorial facilities dedicated to the Chinese People's Volunteers martyrs, carry out distinctive programs on revolutionary traditions and youth education, and carry forward the great spirit of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea.

Also on June 9, Xi, accompanied by Kim, visited the Central Cadres Training School of the WPK in Pyongyang. In the wooded area between teaching buildings, the two leaders jointly planted a fir tree. The fir tree remains evergreen throughout the year, symbolizing the enduring friendship between China and the DPRK.

When Xi and his wife attended the luncheon hosted by Kim and his wife, he said the two leaders reached important consensus on developing relations between China and the DPRK in the new era.

The two sides also had in-depth discussions on safeguarding peace and stability in the region and the world, Xi said.

Xi thanked Kim for the warm hospitality and thoughtful arrangements for the visit, noting that through the visit, the warmth and friendship extended by the DPRK party, government and people toward the Chinese party, government and people was felt even more deeply.

The mutual understanding between China and the DPRK has become deeper and more comprehensive, and the future development direction has become clearer and more definite, Xi said.

Xi said he is ready to work with Kim to jointly lead China-DPRK relations to greater development and inject new and strong impetus into the socialist cause of the two countries.

For his part, Kim said Xi's visit was a complete success, sending a positive message to the world that the DPRK and China are further strengthening their friendly cooperation, and attracting widespread attention from around the world.

Xi's visit was of great significance to bilateral relations and the future development of the region, Kim noted, adding that the DPRK stands ready to earnestly implement the important consensus reached during the visit, promote new tangible outcomes in bilateral cooperation, and advance DPRK-China relations to a new and higher level.

On the afternoon of June 9, Xi concluded his state visit to the DPRK and departed from Pyongyang. Kim and his wife went to the airport to see Xi and his wife off and held a grand farewell ceremony in their honor. BR

(Based on Xinhua News Agency reports)

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson 

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