Kim, Xi hail bond as North Korea says it will protect China’s interests

Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, told Chinese President Xi Jinping that the two countries’ joint meeting the day after their first-ever joint summit in Beijing, showed unwavering support for each other for its territorial, economic, and development goals.

Following their recent bilateral meeting on Wednesday, Xi and Kim met at a ceremony to celebrate the 80 years since World War II’s end, and Russia also praised North Korea’s support for its conflict in Ukraine.

Kim was quoted as saying, “No matter how the international situation changes, the feeling of friendship between Pyongyang and Beijing cannot change,” in an article published on Friday by the state-run newspaper of North Korea, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

After meeting with Xi, Kim said, “The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea [will as always support and encourage the positions of the Communist Party of China and the People’s Republic of China to defend the state’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and development interests,” KCNA said.

Xi reportedly told Kim that he and China share a destiny and that he was ready to “defend, consolidate, and develop” the nations’ relations, according to KCNA.

Kim’s departure from Beijing on Thursday marked his first visit to Russia since 2023, according to KCNA, and he was also confirmed by KCNA.

Cai Qi and Wang Yi, two top Chinese Communist Party officials, attended Kim’s graduation ceremony, according to KCNA.

During the People’s Liberation Army’s latest generation of stealth fighters, tanks, and ballistic missiles in Beijing’s military parade on Wednesday, Xi praised China’s victory over “Japanese aggression” in the “world anti-fascist war” over “Japanese aggression.”

In an unprecedented display of unity, Putin and Kim met with Xi for two and a half hours on the sidelines of the event, where they were seated along with a total of 26 mostly non-Western world leaders. According to KCNA, the trio discussed “long-term” cooperation plans.

Prior to the parade, both leaders praised the strengthening military partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang.

Donald Trump, the president of the United States, reportedly sneered at Xi during a post on his Truth Social platform, saying, “Kum Jong Un and Vladimir Putin, you conspire against the United States of America.

No one even thought of this, according to a Kremlin aide, who refrained from saying this in their heads about Trump’s remarks.

Putin also congratulated Kim on the occasion of North Korea’s foundation day, in which he praised Moscow’s military might in Ukraine.

Putin’s message read, “Your combat force’s heroic involvement in releasing the Kursk territories from the invaders is a distinct symbol of friendship and mutual aid between Russia and North Korea,” according to KCNA.

“I have no doubt that we will continue to collaborate to build a strong strategic partnership between our two nations,” Putin continued.

Incontrovertibly, North Korea has provided artillery ammunition and missiles to support Moscow’s fight against Kyiv by sending thousands of soldiers to battle in Kursk, a region previously occupied by Ukraine.