Xi hopes for better ties with N. Korea
Need for defending regional peace cited
Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a rare message to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, expressing hope for “sound and stable” relations between the two countries, Pyongyang’s state media reported in a probable sign of papering over their recent standoffs.
Xi was replying on Wednesday to Kim’s congratulatory message last week on his re-election as the leader of the ruling Communist Party of China at the 19th Congress of the party.
Xi will remain in power at least until 2022. “I wish that under the new situation, the Chinese side will make joint efforts with the North Korean side to promote the sustainable soundness and stable development of the relations between the two nations,” Xi was quoted as saying by the Korean Central News Agency yesterday.
The Chinese leader cited the need for “defending regional peace, stability and common prosperity”, it added.
The exchange of cordial messages between Xi and Kim, the first in more than a year, came amid a widespread view that China’s ties with its long-time ally are not as they were before Kim took power in late 2011.
They have not held summit talks with each other yet.
China, seeking to play a “responsible” role in the international community, is apparently annoyed by repeated provocations by its recalcitrant neighbour.
Emboldened by the start of another fiveyear term as China’s leader, Xi appears to be reaching out to neighbouring countries.
On Tuesday, China announced an agreement with South Korea to end their year-long row over the deployment of the THAAD missile defence system.
“Clearly, China has become more active in its relations with South Korea. We need to pay heed to China’s position on its ties with North Korea,” a South Korean government official said, not wishing to be identified.
He said a high-profile Chinese delegation may travel to the North in the near future for a briefing on the outcome of its communist party congress, as it did after the previous session in 2012.