China willing to 'consolidate' ties with North Korea, Xi tells Kim in Beijing summit
Chinese President Xi Jinping holds 6th summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
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- Chinese President Xi Jinping holds 6th summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
- Kim, who attended military parade in Beijing on Wednesday, says China-North Korea relations to stay 'consistent'
ISTANBUL
Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that Beijing is "willing to consolidate" relations with Pyongyang, as he hosted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for a summit in Beijing.
Beijing "attaches great importance" to the "friendship" between China and North Korea and "is willing to maintain, consolidate, and develop relations," said Xi, according to the state-run news agency Xinhua.
"This position will not change regardless of how the international situation evolves," Xi added.
Thursday's Beijing summit marks their sixth such bilateral meeting since 2018.
Kim, for his part, stressed that China-North Korea relations will "stay consistent despite international situation changes," while also thanking Beijing for "its long-term, unwavering, valuable support."
China will strengthen interactions and cooperation at all levels, Xi said, emphasizing Beijing's "objective and impartial position" on the Korean peninsula.
Beijing is willing to strengthen coordination with Pyongyang to do "its utmost to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," he added.
The North Korean leader said Pyongyang is willing to "deepen mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation" between countries.
According to economic data from Beijing, China's exports to North Korea in the first half of 2025 grew 33% to $1.05 billion, while imports rose 20% to $210 million.
The bilateral trade climbed to around $2.2 billion at the end of 2023.
Kim is in Beijing – his fifth trip to China – where he attended on Wednesday a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of World War II, alongside Xi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and 26 foreign leaders.
The meeting between Xi and Kim comes as North Korea’s ties with Russia have grown closer over the past few years.
Kim held his fourth bilateral summit with Putin in Beijing on Wednesday, where the North Korean leader pledged “full support” to Russia amid its war with Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Kim's train left Beijing Railway Station on Thursday night, local time, said Seoul-based Yonhap News.
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