Xi, Kim hold ‘historic’ talks
First overseas trip as NK leader proves China’s significance
At the invitation of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese president, Kim Jong-un, chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), paid an unofficial visit to China from Sunday to Wednesday, the Xinhua News Agency reported Wednesday morning.
Xi said Kim’s visit to China was of great significance and came at a special time. The visit fully embodied the great importance that Comrade Chairman and the WPK Central Committee have attached to the relations between the two countries and the two parties, Xi said.
“We speak highly of this visit,” Xi told Kim.
The CPC and the Chinese government highly value China-DPRK friendly cooperative ties, Xi stressed.
It is an unswerving principle of the CPC and the Chinese government to maintain, consolidate and develop good relations
with the DPRK, Xi said.
At present, the Korean Peninsula situation is developing rapidly and many important changes have taken place, Kim said, adding that he felt he “should inform Comrade General Secretary Xi Jinping in person of the situation out of our comradeship and moral responsibility.”
Xi said that China sticks to the goal of denuclearization of the peninsula, safeguarding peace and stability on the peninsula and solving problems through dialogue and consultation, according to the Xinhua report.
China calls on all parties to support the improvement of inter-Korean ties, and to make concrete efforts to facilitate peace talks, said Xi, noting that China will continue to play a constructive role on the issue and work with all parties, including the DPRK.
Kim said that the situation on the Korean Peninsula is starting to improve, as the DPRK has taken the initiative to ease tensions and put forward proposals for peace talks.
The DPRK is willing to have a dialogue with the US and hold a summit between the two countries, Kim said.
“The issue of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula can be resolved, if South Korea and the US respond to our efforts with goodwill, create an atmosphere of peace and stability while taking progressive and synchronous measures for the realization of peace,” said Kim.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said on Wednesday in Beijing that Kim’s first visit to China and the meeting between Chinese and DPRK leaders showed that both sides attach great importance to relations between the two parties and two nations. He said the traditional friendship between the two countries is a treasure for both sides.
“Next, we are willing to continue making efforts along with relevant parties including DPRK. By combining China’s ‘dual track’ approach and other constructive advice from various sides, we are willing to push for denuclearization and strive for peace and stability of the region and the world,” Lu said.
According to a Wednesday release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Yang Jiechi, the special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping, and a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, will pay a visit to South Korea from Thursday to Friday, at the invitation of the South Korean government.
Both the US and South Korean governments confirmed that they were informed by China of Kim’s visit, according to AP and the Yonhap News.
A new stage
The People’s Daily, the CPC’s flagship newspaper, released an online commentary on Wednesday saying that the meeting between Xi and Kim will have historic influence on promoting “the peaceful and stable development of the region and even the whole world.”
The commentary predicted the meeting “will push the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK to a new stage.”
The practice has proved that China’s diplomatic and strategic thoughts have made key contributions to easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the commentary said. “Communication and exchange, cooperation and development are the best ways to ease tensions on the peninsula.”
The meeting between top Chinese and DPRK leaders has turned the page on the ChinaDPRK relations and consolidated the two countries’ traditional friendship, Chinese analysts said.
Kim’s visit shows that ChinaDPRK bilateral ties are rooted in history, tradition, economy and geopolitics, said Da Zhigang, director of the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies at the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences.
China’s unique role in the Korean Peninsula issue is unshakable and can never be excluded, Da told the Global Times on Wednesday.
“The situation has successfully returned to the right track, but the Korean Peninsula issue is quite complex, and we should not expect all the problems to be entirely solved overnight. Patience and consistent efforts are still needed,” Lü Chao, a research fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday.