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Kim's visit to China 'a historic occasion,' North Korea says

Published: 05 Sep. 2025, 09:38

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un listens as Chinese President Xi Jinping, not pictured, delivers his opening remarks during a summit between the two leaders at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sept. 4. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

North Korea described leader Kim Jong-un’s visit to Beijing for China’s Victory Day military parade as “a historic occasion that further strengthened the political trust and strategic cooperation between the two parties.”

The visit "showed the invariability and invincibility of the North Korea-China friendly relations that were formed in the joint struggle for the victory of the socialist cause and overcame all sorts of trials and challenges," the North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Friday.

Kim held a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday.

The two leaders discussed ways to strengthen high-level exchanges and strategic communication and agreed to expand cooperation to safeguard shared interests in international and regional affairs, the report said.

“No matter how the international situation may change, this stand will not change,” Kim was quoted by the KCNA as saying during the summit with Xi. China “supports North Korea in its struggle to steadily open up a new phase of the Korean-style socialist cause while taking the road of development suited to its actual conditions.”

He also expressed full support for the Chinese government's efforts to defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity and development interests, according to the report.

Xi responded by calling North Korea and China "good neighbors, good friends and good comrades."

Even as the international situation changes, the resolve to preserve, solidify and develop the traditional North Korea-China friendship will not waver, Xi said, according the KCNA.

Xi also voiced support for North Korea’s pursuit of development through its own model of socialism tailored to its national conditions.

The meeting had a friendly atmosphere, and Xi hosted a banquet in Kim’s honor, KCNA reported.

Kim departed Beijing on Thursday night aboard his private train, wrapping up a five-day, four-night visit — the longest of any of his five trips to China. He is expected to arrive in Pyongyang on Friday afternoon.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY BAE JAE-SUNG [[email protected]]