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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, greet the crowd before a mass gymnastic performance at the Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in Pyongyang, Thursday, during Xi's first day of a two-day trip to the North. / Xinhua-Yonhap |
By Yi Whan-woo
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on deepening bilateral relations for peace on the Korean Peninsula and security in East Asia, according to the North's state media, Friday.
The Korean Central Agency (KCNA) said the two leaders reached the agreement during a summit on the first day of Xi's two-day trip to the North.
Xi left Pyongyang early Friday afternoon. An image posted on the mobile app of state broadcaster CCTV showed people waving to his Air China Boeing 747 on the tarmac at the airport in Pyongyang.
In a separate report, China's official Xinhua News Agency said Xi "will firmly support" the North's move to resolve the nuclear issues and encouraged its focus on economic development.
CCTV said Xi promised to help "as much as he can" when Kim told Xi that he will continue his dialogue with U.S. President Donald Trump to settle denuclearization issues.
The KCNA did not mention Kim referring to the denuclearization dialogue.
"They exchanged opinions on the situation on the peninsula and other grave security issues in the region and around the globe," the KCNA said. "They assessed deepening bilateral relations meets their common interests and is beneficial for peace, stability and development."
Kim and Xi promised to make joint efforts to accelerate exchanges and cooperation in all fields, on top of exchange visits among their senior officials.
"They saw such efforts are important for closer strategic communication, mutual understanding and trust, especially considering the 70 years of bilateral relations," the KNCA added.