Xi Jinping to Visit North Korea, Meet Kim Jong Un; Chinese State Media Preheats Visit

(Central News Agency, Taipei, June 7) Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to North Korea from the 8th to the 9th. Chinese state media has been preheating the visit. On the 6th, the People's Daily published an article by Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun, stating that Xi will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to chart a blueprint for bilateral relations.

In mid-May, after Xi met separately in Beijing with visiting US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the International Department of the CPC Central Committee announced that Xi would pay a state visit to North Korea.

On the eve of the visit, Chinese state media including the People's Daily and Xinhua News Agency have successively published articles describing the development of China-North Korea relations.

In his article in the People's Daily, Wang Yajun stated that this is Xi's first state visit to North Korea in seven years and his first overseas trip this year. In June 2019, Xi made a state visit to North Korea of "great historical significance," promoting the development of bilateral relations.

Wang said that in recent years, Xi and Kim have maintained close strategic communication in various forms. Xi emphasized that China and North Korea are good neighbors, good friends, and good comrades sharing a common destiny and mutual assistance. Standing at a new historical starting point, Xi's visit will further enrich and expand the important connotations of the "three goods" and promote greater development of China-North Korea relations.

Wang also stated that this year marks the 65th anniversary of the signing of the "China-North Korea Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance." Given the current complex international and regional situation, the two sides should engage in close strategic coordination in international and regional affairs, safeguard the common interests of both countries and regional peace and stability, and provide a solid guarantee for the development of China-North Korea relations.

Xinhua News Agency reported on the 5th that since 2018, the top leaders of the two parties and two countries of China and North Korea have met six times and maintained close communication in various forms. This year marks the 77th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and North Korea. This "historic visit" by Xi will chart a new blueprint for the development of relations between the two parties and two countries and make new contributions to regional peace, stability, and prosperity. (Editor: Chen Kaiyu / Lyu Jiarong) 1150607