Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is visiting North Korea, said Monday that "North Korea and China should strengthen exchanges in diplomacy, law enforcement and the military."
According to People's Daily, the Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper, Xi made the remarks during a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the Kumsusan Guesthouse in Pyongyang. "The traditional friendship between North Korea and China is rooted in the two countries' shared ideals, beliefs and goals of struggle," he stressed. "No matter how the international situation changes, our position of valuing the friendship between the two countries will not change."
Xi then put forward four proposals for developing China-North Korea relations: strengthening political trust through high-level exchanges; expanding cooperation in trade, agriculture, construction, science and technology, and medical care; broadening exchanges in education, culture and arts, tourism and sports; and deepening strategy on the four global initiatives. The four global initiatives carry the meaning that China will reestablish itself as a multilateralist leader nation in opposition to the unilateralism of the Donald Trump administration in the United States.
In response, Kim replied that Xi's visit once again demonstrates the firmness of China-North Korea relations. "North Korea will consistently support the 'One China' principle and support the defense of China's core interests going forward," he said. He went on to praise the initiatives, saying, "China's four global initiatives carry profound meaning for world peace and development."
