China’s Xi says he reached important consensus with Kim in North Korea visit, KCNA reports
SEOUL/BEIJING, June 10 (Reuters) – North Korean state media KCNA said on Wednesday that Chinese President Xi Jinping reached an “important consensus” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and said they agreed to maintain regional and global peace in a thank you message after his visit to Pyongyang.
In his message, fully reported by KCNA, Xi said the two sides “exchanged in-depth views on issues of common concern and reached a number of important common consensuses”, reflecting their determination to further deepen ties.
Going forward, Xi said he is willing to work with Kim “on the basis of fundamental and long-term interests” to “stablely maintain, consolidate and develop” bilateral relations and further contribute to regional and global peace and development.
He also said the visit had been “successfully concluded” and that relations had entered “a new historical stage,” while expressing hope to meet Kim again.
Xi visited Pyongyang from Monday to Tuesday, in his first visit to North Korea in seven years. China’s official Xinhua news agency said Xi said the “visit creates deeper, more comprehensive understanding and provides a clearer path for developing relations.”
The two leaders agreed to expand cooperation in politics, economy, trade and culture, while pledging closer strategic communication between their governments, according to both countries’ state media.
Xinhua also pointed out sectors such as agriculture, technology and construction, saying, “Practical cooperation is an important driving force behind the development of China-North Korea relations.” he said.
Chinese official media said both countries should benefit from the full reopening of border crossings and the resumption of civil aviation flights and international passenger trains.
Other KCNA reports on Wednesday said the two leaders paid tribute at the China-Korea Friendship Tower in Pyongyang, built in memory of Chinese soldiers who died in the Korean War, and toured a political training school for party cadres.
(Reporting by Kyu-seok Shim in Seoul and Liz Lee in Beijing; Editing by Jamie Freed)
