North Korean media reported on the outcome of the Pyongyang summit between Kim Jong-un, chairperson of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying they agreed to open "a new chapter in the development of North Korea-China relations." North Korea emphasized expanding cooperation in politics, the economy and culture, as well as high-level exchanges, and evaluated the summit as "a new milestone" in the countries' strategic cooperation.
The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 9th that Chairperson Kim and President Xi held a summit the previous day at the Kumsusan State Guesthouse in Pyongyang and agreed to make strategic communication between North Korea and China more close and to expand exchanges and cooperation in all fields. The agency said the two leaders agreed to "further tighten strategic communication through high-level exchanges between the two parties and the two countries, and to expand and develop exchanges and cooperation in all fields, including politics, the economy and culture, thereby opening a new chapter in the development of North Korea-China relations."
The two countries also agreed to hold a commemorative event next month to mark the 65th anniversary of the signing of the North Korea-China Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance. Signed in 1961, the treaty is a basic agreement between the two countries and is regarded as a document symbolizing the traditional friendship between North Korea and China.
The two leaders also discussed international and regional issues. The Korean Central News Agency reported that, amid a complex international situation, the two sides achieved "satisfactory agreement of views" on strengthening strategic coordination and cooperation, safeguarding the sovereignty, security and development interests of both countries, and jointly defending peace and development in the region and the world.
At the summit, Chairperson Kim expressed an intention to maintain North Korea-China relations as "the most important, No. 1 strategic task." Kim said the bilateral relationship will be strengthened as "a model of relations between socialist states" and "an invariable, special, sincere and solid strategic relationship."
Support for China's core diplomatic principle of the "one-China" policy was also reaffirmed. The agency said Chairperson Kim noted that, regardless of how the situation changes, North Korea will fully support the policies and positions of China's party and government in line with the "one-China" principle. The "one-China" principle is the Chinese government's basic position that does not recognize Taiwan as a separate country and regards it as part of China.
North Korean media assessed the summit as an opportunity to demonstrate the invariability of North Korea-China friendship and to set a new milestone in the development of the countries' strategic cooperation. Xi paid a state visit to North Korea for the first time in seven years. He is expected to return home the same day after completing a two-day schedule that began the previous day.
Xi said in a toast reply speech at the Mokran House banquet in Pyongyang the previous day that "this year, China-North Korea relations stand at a new historic starting point," according to the Korean Central News Agency. Chairperson Kim also said in a welcome address that he would develop North Korea-China relations into "the most powerful and strategic model of relations between socialist states."
However, North Korean media did not carry parts of Xi's remarks that Chinese media reported prominently the previous day. Chinese outlets said Xi pledged to strengthen exchanges with North Korea in areas such as diplomacy, law enforcement and the military, but that wording did not appear in the Korean Central News Agency report.