North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping wave to people on a street in Pyongyang, June 20, 2019. Xi was on a two-day state visit to North Korea, June 20 and 21. AP-Yonhap

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message congratulating North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on his election as general secretary of the ruling party and called for strong relations between the two countries, Pyongyang's media said Tuesday.

Xi noted that Kim's election "fully showed the trust, support and expectation of all the WPK members and other Korean people for him," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, referring to the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.

He also expressed his will to "safeguard the regional peace and stability, development and prosperity" by strengthening relations at a time of "confusion and changes."

In response, the North's ruling party expressed "sincere gratitude to the CPC Central Committee for sending a wholehearted congratulatory message to the congress ahead of others," KCNA said, referring to the Communist Party of China.