China and North Korea Agree to Expand Cooperation

May 26, Kathmandu – During a summit held in Pyongyang, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached an understanding to expand cooperation in political, economic, and cultural fields. The North Korean state news agency Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported this development on Tuesday. The meeting between the top leaders is said to have opened a new chapter in the relationship between the two countries. Xi, on his first visit to North Korea in seven years as China’s only formal treaty ally, aimed to advance bilateral ties further.

According to KCNA, both leaders agreed to strengthen strategic dialogue through high-level official visits, as reported by Reuters. Kim reaffirmed his full support for China’s “One China Principle” amid changing international circumstances. Beijing considers both sides of the Taiwan Strait as parts of one country under this principle. China regards Taiwan, which has a democratic government, as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force if necessary to assert control. However, Taipei rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Xi visited the Sino-Korean Friendship Tower in Pyongyang, a monument built to honor Chinese soldiers who lost their lives during the Korean War, according to the Chinese state news agency Xinhua. It remains unclear whether further talks between the two leaders will take place, but they jointly planted a tree on the grounds of a political school considered significant for party worker training. According to Xinhua, the tree symbolizes the “continuously renewing friendship” between the two nations.