N. Korea's Jo Yong-won meets China's Wang Huning, pledges deeper strategic ties

Jo Yong-won, secretary of the North Korean Workers' Party Central Committee, met with Wang Huning, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the fourth-ranked official in the Chinese Communist Party, reaffirming both sides' commitment to expanding exchanges and cooperation.

KCNA reported Thursday that Jo met with Wang at the Pyongyang Assembly Hall on Wednesday.

Jo said the rapidly shifting international political landscape "demands that the two countries further strengthen their militant unity, solidarity and support, and continuously deepen their friendly and cooperative relations in accordance with the fundamental spirit of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between North Korea and China, in order to advance the common socialist cause to victory."

He went on to say that under the "direct attention and wise leadership" of Kim Jong-un and Xi Jinping, North Korea-China relations "are entering a new period of vitality," adding that the two sides would "strengthen strategic communication and tactical cooperation and expand bilateral relations in all directions."

Wang said the treaty "laid the legal foundation for consolidating the fighting friendship forged in blood," and described the grand commemoration of the treaty's 65th anniversary as "an important shared understanding of the top leaders of the two parties and two countries."

Wang also said China's party and government were committed to using the agreements reached at the Pyongyang summit as a "fundamental guiding principle" to "propel North Korea-China relations to a higher level," KCNA said.

The North Korean side at the talks included Kim Hyong-sik, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly; Mun Song-hyok, vice department director of the Workers' Party; Kim Myong-su, vice minister of foreign affairs; and Kang Chol-ho, vice minister of urban management.

The Chinese delegation included Wang Dongfeng, vice chairman of the CPPCC; Liu Haixing, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee; Qi Yu, secretary of the party committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Pei Jinja, head of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs; and Wang Yajun, China's ambassador to North Korea.

Earlier, the Chinese party and government delegation led by Wang arrived at Pyongyang International Airport on Wednesday to attend events marking the 65th anniversary of the North Korea-China friendship treaty. The delegation, invited by the Workers' Party Central Committee and the North Korean government, is scheduled to remain in North Korea through Friday.