Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, inspects the honor guard of the three services of the Korean People's Army, accompanied by Kim Jong-un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, in Pyongyang, the capital of the DPRK, on Monday during a grand welcoming ceremony held by Kim for Xi. DING LIN / XINHUA
He says in meeting with Kim that the two sides should pool wisdom, strength for greater progress of relations
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, said on Monday that the firm stance of the CPC and the Chinese government on highly valuing the traditional friendship with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea will not change, and he pledged to work with DPRK top leader Kim Jong-un to keep bilateral relations advancing with the times and achieve greater progress.
Xi made the remarks in Pyongyang, the capital of the DPRK, during his talks with Kim, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK.
Xi arrived in Pyongyang on Monday for a two-day state visit to the DPRK, his first to the neighboring country in seven years and his first overseas trip this year.
During talks with Kim, Xi said that after seven years, he was very pleased to once again visit the beautiful city of Pyongyang, and felt especially warm and familiar.
He expressed his readiness to work with Kim to take this visit as an opportunity to strengthen top-level planning and strategic guidance for China-DPRK relations in the new era, keep bilateral relations advancing with the times and achieve greater progress in bilateral ties, in order to better benefit the two countries and peoples, and make positive contributions to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region and the world.
Stressing that China and the DPRK are both socialist countries led by communist parties, Xi said that 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.
Xi noted that friendship passed down from generation to generation, a shared future and mutual support have always been the defining features of China-DPRK relations.
No matter how the international situation changes, the CPC and the Chinese 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.
He pointed out that, in the face of 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 regional peace and development.
During the meeting, Xi put forward four proposals on developing China-DPRK relations.
The two sides should remain guided by the high-level exchanges and consolidate the foundation of political mutual trust, Xi said.
The strategic guidance by the top leaders of both nations is the greatest strength of China-DPRK relations, Xi added, noting 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 marks the 65th anniversary of the China-DPRK Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, Xi said that 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 exchanges at various levels and in various 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 exchanges 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.
The two sides should stay 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 to expand practical cooperation in areas such as economy and trade, agriculture, construction, science and technology, and healthcare, to bring greater benefits to the two peoples, he added.
Xi 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 exchanges and foster mutual interaction.
President Xi Jinping shakes hands with DPRK top leader Kim Jong-un before their talks at the Kumsusan State Guesthouse in Pyongyang on Monday. XIE HUANCHI / XINHUA
Friendship a valuable asset
The two sides should uphold the inheritance of friendship as a driving force and strengthen the bonds between their peoples, Xi said, noting that 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, Xi said.
China is also ready to work with the DPRK to make full use of each side's strengths and resources, enhance exchanges 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.
The Chinese president also called for upholding fairness and justice as a guiding principle to enrich the substance of strategic coordination. Xi said that, 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 where countries, including China and the DPRK, thrive, Xi said that 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 that his country extended the warmest and most cordial welcome to Xi, who is visiting the DPRK after a seven-year interval. 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, Kim said.
Unbreakable relationship
The visit once again clearly demonstrates that the DPRK-China relationship is unbreakable, Kim said. Calling the bilateral ties time-tested, Kim said that the relations 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.
He also recalled his meeting with Xi in Beijing last September, noting that since then, bilateral relations have achieved positive progress in various 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, and promote new progress in bilateral exchanges and cooperation in areas such as economy and trade, infrastructure, science and technology, education, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
Kim 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.
He also said that 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 core interests.
On Monday evening, Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, attended a welcoming banquet hosted by Kim in Pyongyang. In his remarks at the banquet, Xi said that the relationship between China and the DPRK stands at a new historical starting point.
He said that he reached an important consensus with Kim during the visit.
Following the banquet, Xi and Peng, along with Kim and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, watched an artistic performance at the Pyongyang Gymnasium.
Upon Xi's arrival earlier in the day, Kim and his wife welcomed Xi and Peng at the airport. After Xi walked down the stairs from the plane, Kim shook hands with him warmly.
Kim also held a grand welcoming ceremony for Xi at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang. The top leaders of the two parties and the two countries jointly ascended the review stand. Amid a 21-gun salute, the military band played the national anthems of China and the DPRK.
