Xi Meets North Korean Premier in Beijing on Treaty's 65th Anniversary

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with North Korean Premier Pak Thae-song, who was on an official visit to China. With the 65th anniversary of the North Korea-China friendship treaty at hand, the high-level contact came just a month after the North Korea-China summit, in a show of the two countries highlighting their close ties.

According to China Central Television (CCTV), Xi received Pak at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the afternoon of the 10th, local time. Xi met a high-level North Korean official again just a month after the North Korea-China summit held in Pyongyang on the 8th and 9th of last month, continuing the trend of expanding exchanges between the two countries. At the meeting, the two sides are believed to have reviewed the cooperation measures agreed upon at the summit and exchanged views on pending issues between the two countries.

Pak arrived in Beijing on the morning of the 10th with a North Korean delegation aboard an Air Koryo flight to attend events marking the 65th anniversary of the North Korea-China friendship treaty on July 11. He will make an official visit to China for three days through the 12th.

After arriving in Beijing, Pak stayed at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, China's state accommodation for guests, and in the afternoon visited Tiananmen Square to lay flowers at the Monument to the People's Heroes.

A wreath-laying by a high-level North Korean official at China's Monument to the People's Heroes was reported to be the first in seven years, since a delegation led by then-North Korean military General Political Bureau Director Kim Su-gil visited in August 2019.

The North Korea-China friendship treaty was signed in Beijing on July 11, 1961, by then-Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and North Korean President Kim Il-sung. It contains a so-called "automatic military intervention" clause requiring one side to provide military support if the other comes under external armed attack, and is regarded as a core foundation of the North Korea-China alliance.

Earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing the previous day that Pak was visiting China at the invitation of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese government. "This year marks the 65th anniversary of the North Korea-China friendship treaty, and the two sides have decided to jointly hold grand commemorative events," Mao said. "Based on the important agreements of the two countries' top leaders, we will strengthen strategic communication and continue to develop the traditional North Korea-China friendly relationship through close exchanges and cooperation."