Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, holds talks with 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 (DPRK), at the Kumsusan State Guesthouse in Pyongyang, the DPRK, on June 8, 2026. Photo: Xinhua

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, said on Monday that China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) should consolidate the foundation of political mutual trust and enhance the level of practical cooperation, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.

Xi made the remarks during his talks with Kim Jong-un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, per Xinhua.

Xi noted that after seven years, he is very pleased to once again visit the beautiful city of Pyongyang, and feels 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, so as to better benefit the two countries and peoples, and make positive contributions to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region and the world. 

No matter how the international situation changes, the Chinese party and government's firm stance on highly valuing China-DPRK traditional friendship will not change, the firm support for General Secretary 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. 


Four proposals 

During the meeting, Xi put forward four proposals on developing China-DPRK relations.

The two sides should stay 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, he 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 others, 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 expand practical cooperation in such areas as economy and trade, agriculture, construction, science and technology, as well as health care, to bring greater benefits to the two peoples, he said.

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.

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.

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.

Most respected guest 

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 visited 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 side, Kim said.  

This visit once again clearly demonstrates that the DPRK-China relationship is unbreakable, Kim said. Calling the bilateral ties time-tested, Kim said that the bilateral ties 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.

Kim said that the DPRK is pleased to see that, under the leadership of General Secretary Xi, China has achieved development accomplishments that have amazed the world and significantly enhanced its international status.

He 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.

Kim said that the international community is 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 its core interests.

He stressed that consolidating and developing the DPRK-China friendship in the new era is the choice of the peoples of the two countries and a necessity of the times, and remains the DPRK's consistent strategic choice and steadfast strategic resolve.

He said the DPRK will, as always, regard the development of DPRK-China relations as the foremost strategic undertaking of the state, spare no effort to build bilateral relations into a model of interstate relations, and work together with China to contribute to peace and prosperity in the region and the world.

Significant trip 

Xi arrived in Pyongyang on Monday for the state visit. Kim and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, welcomed Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at the airport. After the Chinese leader walked down the airstairs, Kim shook hands with him warmly.

Kim held a grand welcome 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.

Accompanied by Kim, Xi inspected the honor guard of the three services of the Korean People's Army. After that, Xi watched a march-past with Kim.

Dressed in festive attire, people from all walks of life in Pyongyang, along with children and teenagers, holding flags, flowers and balloons, extended their sincere welcome to the distinguished Chinese guests with warm applause and cheers.

En route from the airport to Kim Il Sung Square and from Kim Il Sung Square to the Kumsusan State Guesthouse, people of the DPRK lined both sides of the streets, waving to welcome Xi's arrival.

In a signed article published on Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the DPRK, ahead of his state visit, his first in seven years, the Chinese leader noted relations between China and the DPRK stand at a new historical starting point, facing new development opportunities and shouldering new missions of the times. 

In recent years, China-DPRK economic and trade cooperation has shown a positive development momentum. According to Chinese official statistics, bilateral trade volume reached $2.735 billion in 2025.

In regard to people-to-people connectivity, on March 12, an international passenger train from Dandong arrived in Pyongyang, marking the resumption of international passenger train services between China and the DPRK.

On March 30, an Air China passenger plane from Beijing arrived at Pyongyang International Airport, signaling the formal resumption of the Chinese carrier's passenger flight operations between the capitals of China and the DPRK. Road, rail and air links between the two countries have all been resumed thus far.

In early May this year, 70 Chinese government scholarship students from 16 universities across China arrived in Pyongyang to begin their studies at prestigious DPRK universities such as Kim Il Sung University and Kim Hyong Jik University of Education.