China’s Xi urges North Korea’s Kim to boost communications amid ‘complex’, ‘serious’ changes

Chinese President Xi Jinping told North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that the two countries need to ramp up communications as international and regional “situations” are “changing seriously and in a complicated way,” reported Pyongyang’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), on Tuesday (April 18).

This comes amid a rise in tensions in the Korean peninsula and hours before the Group of Seven (G7) rich nations condemned North Korea’s series of missile tests in the region.

What did Xi say to Kim?

In a recent message to Kim, Xi reportedly said that China and North Korea’s “traditional friendship” has “weathered the trials of the changed international situation for a long time, constantly maintained the trend of its development and got stronger with the passage of time”.

The Chinese president, as per the KCNA added that “international and regional situations are now changing seriously and in a complicated way.”

“I am willing to strengthen strategic communications with Comrade General Secretary (Kim), jointly lead the direction of development of China-DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) relations, and promote friendly cooperation between the two sides to a higher level,” said Xi referring to North Korea by itsformal name.

China-North Korea relations

China has been a long-time ally of North Korea as well asits main economic benefactor. The relations between the countries were forged during the Korean War (1950-53) when Mao Zedong sent in millions of “volunteers” to fight US-led United Nations forces to a standstill.

While the ties between the two countries have been fluctuating over the years the alliance has seemingly become stronger recently.

Timing of the message

According to reports, Xi’s message was delivered to Kim last week, on Wednesday. However, it was made public hours before the G7 diplomats called on North Korea to “refrain from any other destabilising or provocative actions, including any further nuclear tests or launches that use ballistic missile technology.”

In the communique released at the end of three-day, G7 foreign ministers’ meetings in central Japan’s Karuizawa, the countriesalso warned Pyongyang of a “robust” response. “Such actions must be met with a swift, united, and robust international response, including further significant measures to be taken by the UN Security Council (UNSC).”

(With inputs from agencies)

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