Pyongyang, North Korea – The leaders of North Korea and China have adopted a "far-reaching blueprint" for bilateral ties during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Pyongyang, the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Wednesday.
The agreement came amid a rare visit to Pyongyang by Xi, who has recently hosted a series of leaders – including President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin – for talks in Beijing.
"Comrade Kim Jong Un and Comrade Xi Jinping expressed satisfaction and deep emotion over the fact that they provided a far-reaching blueprint for the development of the relations," KCNA, the country's state-run news agency, reported.
During the two-day visit, "the countries further deepened the revolutionary friendship and close comradely relationship and affirmed their steadfast will to develop the traditional DPRK-China friendly ties into a model of the most powerful and strategic relations."
As part of the visit, Xi and Kim toured the Central Cadres Training School of the Workers' Party, where they discussed the training of party officials and planted a commemorative tree. They then visited the Friendship Tower memorial, which honors Chinese soldiers who fought in the Korean War.
Kim later hosted Xi and their wives for a luncheon before accompanying the Chinese leader to the airport for his departure.
Following his trip, Xi sent Kim a letter of gratitude, in which he said the two leaders "made an in-depth exchange of views on the issues of mutual interest and achieved a series of important common understanding," KCNA said.
The talks, Xi wrote to Kim, "showed the firm determination of both sides to add luster to the traditional friendship, promote development and prosperity together, and defend peace and stability in the region and the rest of the world."