Kim Jong Un and Xi Jinping, the leaders of North Korea and China have traded messages vowing to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, Africa Daily News, New York reports.
The two countries made the pledge on the 60th anniversary of their treaty of friendship, cooperation, and mutual assistance.
In a message to China’s Xi Jinping, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said their relationship is vital in the face of hostile foreign forces, while Xi promised to bring cooperation ‘to a new stage‘.
China has been North Korea’s only major ally since the two signed the treaty in 1961, and international sanctions imposed over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes have made it more dependent than ever on Beijing for trade and other support.
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‘Despite the unprecedentedly complicated international situation in recent years the comradely trust and militant friendship between the DPRK and China get stronger day by day,‘ Kim said.
The treaty is defending socialism and peace in Asia ‘now that the hostile forces become more desperate in their challenge and obstructive moves,’ Kim said.
Xi’s message said he plans to provide greater happiness to the two countries and their people by strengthening communication with Kim and ‘by steadily leading the relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries to a new stage’.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
