SEOUL, JULY 05 (V7N): Chinese President Xi Jinping has committed to steering Beijing's relationship with North Korea toward "long-term, sound, and stable" development. The strategic message, reported by Pyongyang's state media on Sunday, underscores a calculated push by both neighboring countries to solidify their traditional alliance amid accelerating geopolitical shifts in Northeast Asia.
The high-level correspondence follows Xi's pivotal state visit to Pyongyang last month—his first trip to the North Korean capital in seven years. It also comes as North Korea significantly expands its security and military footprint with Russia, supplying ammunition and personnel to aid Moscow's campaign in Ukraine.
Xi’s message, officially dated July 1, was sent in response to a celebratory letter from Kim Jong Un marking the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
In the text broadcast by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Xi highlighted the deep ideological and historical bonds binding the two nations together across generations.
Ideological Alignment: Xi pointedly noted that both the Communist Party of China and the Workers' Party of Korea are "Marxist ruling parties" that have historically stood shoulder to shoulder in the pursuit of national independence and socialist construction.
Implementation of New Pledges: The Chinese president stated he is prepared to guide relevant government sectors and border regions to fully implement the "important common understanding" reached during their recent bilateral summit.
A "Historic Occasion": For his part, Kim Jong Un previously lauded the Pyongyang summit as a historic landmark that firmly consolidated mutual trust and demonstrated an "unshakable will" to expand strategic cooperation.
While North Korea has noticeably pivoted toward Moscow to secure military and technical hardware, diplomatic experts note that Beijing remains highly focused on maintaining its dominant influence on the Korean Peninsula. China does not want to be displaced by Russia as Pyongyang's primary strategic partner.
Furthermore, North Korea's economic survival remains heavily tethered to Beijing. Despite its recent military alignments elsewhere, China remains North Korea’s absolute lifeline, accounting for 98% of the country's total foreign trade, according to data from South Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance.
With the 65th anniversary of the historic North-China Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance arriving on July 11, both capitals are actively signaling that their diplomatic core remains firmly intact.
END/WD/RH/
