Beijing expresses its readiness to deepen strategic cooperation and friendly exchanges with Pyongyang. This was stated by the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping in a telegram to the Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, the leader of the DPRK Kim Jong-un, sent on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the PRC and the DPRK.
"China is ready to cooperate with the DPRKStrengthen strategic interaction and coordination, deepen friendly exchanges and cooperation," Xi Jinping was quoted as saying by China Central Television. "I attach great importance to the development of relations between the two countries," he said. Beijing is ready, together with Pyongyang, to "promote the sustainable and long-term development of the socialist cause to the benefit of the peoples of the two countries,” Xi Jinping pointed out. According to him, the friendship between China and the DPRK has stood the test of time and “has become a common treasure for the two countries and peoples.”
Beijing is Pyongyang's key economic partner. According to Chinese customs statistics, trade turnover between the two countries increased 3.2 times in 2022, and 2.3 times in 2023, to $2.29 billion.
