Xi and Kim vow stronger ties as North Korea visit wraps up
Chinese leader Xi Jinping and North Korea's Kim Jong Un said they had agreed to "deepen strategic partnership across all domains" at the close of Xi's two-day visit to Pyongyang. Xi's first North Korea trip since 2019 reshapes regional diplomatic balances.
Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un's joint declaration following the two-day Pyongyang talks announced an agreement to "deepen the strategic partnership across all domains: political, economic, security and cultural". Xi's first official visit since 2019 is also seen as reflecting Beijing's concern over Pyongyang's deepening ties with Moscow.
State agency KCNA said the two leaders agreed to "modernise cross-border trade infrastructure" and "launch a feasibility study for a new railway link". The joint declaration set out a "shared position" on Taiwan and the South China Sea. Kim said North Korea "supported China's proposal for a cross-border economic corridor".
South Korea's presidential office announced it will dispatch a technical mission to Beijing on Wednesday. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Tokyo was "watching developments closely". US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Washington "will continue trilateral security coordination with Tokyo and Seoul".
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