Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin have reaffirmed their countries’ close strategic ties with North Korea in messages marking the country’s 78th founding anniversary, North Korean state media KCNA reported on Wednesday.
Xi told North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that China was willing to continue strengthening strategic guidance of bilateral relations and work with Pyongyang to advance the development of both countries.
He also said strengthening and developing China-North Korea relations remained the Chinese Communist Party and government’s “consistent and unwavering policy”.
Putin, in a separate message, said Russia would continue its “closest joint work” with Kim to further strengthen the countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership.
The Russian president said closer ties between Moscow and Pyongyang would contribute to regional security and help promote what he described as a “more just, multipolar world order”.
The messages from Xi and Putin were published on the front page of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun.
KCNA said Kim also received congratulatory messages from leaders of several other countries, including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Mongolia, Sweden, Belarus, Singapore, Switzerland and Zimbabwe.
North Korea marks the anniversary of its founding on September 9, 1948.
