Xi Signals “New Historical Stage” in North Korea Ties After Talks With Kim Jong Un
Seoul-Chinese President Xi Jinping said he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reached an “important consensus” and agreed to strengthen bilateral ties and support regional and global stability following high-level talks in Pyongyang, North Korean state media KCNA reported on Wednesday.
In a message of thanks 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,” adding that the discussions reflected a shared intention to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors.
Xi said he was willing to work with Kim “based on fundamental and long-term interests” to “steadily safeguard, consolidate and develop” relations between the two countries, while also contributing to broader peace and development. He described the visit as successfully concluded, saying it had taken ties into “a new historical stage” and expressed hope for future meetings.
The visit, Xi’s first to North Korea in seven years, took place from Monday to Tuesday, according to Chinese and North Korean state media. China’s Xinhua News Agency said the trip helped establish a deeper understanding between the two leaders and set a clearer direction for future cooperation.
Both sides agreed to expand engagement in areas including politics, the economy, trade, culture, agriculture, technology and construction, while also strengthening strategic communication between their governments, according to official reports.
Chinese and North Korean media also highlighted discussions on reopening border crossings and resuming civil aviation and international rail links as part of broader efforts to normalize exchanges.
KCNA reported that Xi and Kim also visited sites in Pyongyang including the Sino-Korean Friendship Tower, which commemorates Chinese soldiers killed in the Korean War, and a political training institution for party cadres.
