Kim Jong-un sends congratulatory message to China's Communist Party on its 105th anniversary

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a congratulatory message to China's Communist Party on its 105th founding anniversary, calling for continued development of bilateral friendship. The gesture follows last month's summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping and underscores Pyongyang's concerted effort to solidify ties with Beijing.

KCNA reported Wednesday that Kim sent a message to Xi saying he was "willing to continue to sublimate and develop the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries — the common treasure of the peoples of the two countries — in keeping with the demands of the times."

Congratulating the Chinese Communist Party on its founding anniversary, Kim said "the truth that without the Communist Party there would be no new China is a truth the Chinese people have come to know through their long march forward with the party." He added that "it is the firm and unwavering position of our party and government to ceaselessly strengthen and develop the China-North Korea friendly relations, which have deep historical roots and are anchored in socialism."

Referring to the North Korea-China summit held in Pyongyang on June 8 and 9, Kim described it as "a historic occasion on which we reaffirmed our steadfast will to deepen comradely friendship and trust, and to more vigorously drive forward the building of socialism in the two countries and the traditional friendly relations."

He further said that "the absolute superiority of the North Korea-China relationship is firmly guaranteed by the leadership of the party," reiterating the strength of bilateral ties.

Kim also sent congratulatory messages to Xi on the party's 95th anniversary in 2016 and its 100th in 2021. Socialist states traditionally place special importance on milestone anniversaries in five- and ten-year increments, and the gesture appears to follow that protocol.

The Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang held a reception Tuesday to mark the party's 105th founding anniversary. About 150 people attended, including North Korean party and government officials, foreign diplomats stationed in Pyongyang, and representatives of Chinese media outlets and students.

Senior North Korean officials at the reception included Jo Yong-won, organizational secretary of the Korean Workers' Party and chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly Presidium — considered one of Kim's closest aides — along with party secretary Kim Song-nam, Mun Song-hyok, vice director of the party's International Department, Vice Foreign Minister Kim Myong-su, Vice Minister of External Economic Affairs Ryu Un-hae, and Vice Minister of Culture Pak Kyong-chol.

In remarks at the reception, Kim Song-nam said the Chinese people, rallying around the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party with General Secretary Xi Jinping as its core, "have achieved high-quality economic development and social stability, and are continuously making remarkable achievements in consolidating the country's international standing." He added that "North Korea will do its utmost to consolidate the friendly and cooperative relations between the two parties and the two peoples — their common treasure — in accordance with the noble will of the top leaders of the two parties."

Chinese Ambassador Wang Yajun said that entering the new era, General Secretary Xi Jinping and General Secretary Kim Jong-un "have held seven historic meetings and charted the direction for the development of relations between the two parties and the two countries." He added that "China is willing to work together with North Korea to implement the important agreements reached by the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, jointly steer the healthy and stable development of China-North Korea relations, and together safeguard regional peace and development."

Wang also said that "passing friendship from generation to generation, sharing a common destiny, helping and protecting each other, and uniting sincerely is the fundamental current of China-North Korea friendly exchanges," adding that China was willing to "strengthen strategic communication and deepen the exchange of experience in party and state governance."

Before the reception, the embassy hosted a seminar on the exchange of party-building experience between North Korea and China. The Central Committee of the Korean Workers' Party sent a congratulatory flower basket to the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, and the North Korean Embassy in Beijing also delivered one.

Last month, Xi's visit to Pyongyang — his first since 2019 — gave the two countries an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening strategic communication and expanding cooperation through a summit and a joint statement. The two sides agreed to expand exchanges and high-level contacts across a range of sectors including trade, agriculture and construction, with China expected to play a significant role in North Korea's economic development.

North Korea has since been making conspicuous efforts on multiple fronts to cement the relationship. Kim also sent Xi a congratulatory message and flowers last month on the Chinese leader's birthday.