North Korea's Park Tae-sung Meets Xi Jinping...A Signal of Closer Ties Between North Korea and China?

[Financial News] North Korean Premier Park Tae-sung met with Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and president of China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 11th that Park, who was on an official visit to China to attend events marking the 65th anniversary of the signing of the North Korea-China Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, met Xi on the afternoon of July 10.
According to the agency, Park said the two countries had been "supporting and closely cooperating with each other on the path toward anti-imperialist independence and socialism, in line with the spirit of the treaty on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance between the two countries, and vigorously advancing the socialist cause while firmly safeguarding peace in the region and the world."
He also referred to the North Korea-China summit held in Pyongyang in June, saying it "clearly demonstrated the unchanging nature of North Korea-China friendship and marked a historic milestone in the development of bilateral relations." He added that "with the deep attention of the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries, the events held around this year's treaty anniversary were grandly carried out, once again strongly demonstrating the strategic nature of North Korea-China friendship."
Park added that he would "do everything possible to actively promote the revolutionary solidarity, common prosperity and socialist cause of the two countries to a new and higher stage that meets the demands of the new era."
Xi also referred to his visit to North Korea last month, when he and Kim Jong Un established strategic guidelines to strengthen and develop the traditional friendship between China and North Korea. He said the treaty on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance between the two countries had laid an important political and legal foundation for consolidating the militant friendship forged in blood by the two peoples. He added that "passing down friendship from generation to generation, sharing a common destiny, and protecting and helping each other" have been a consistent hallmark of China-North Korea relations.
Xi stressed that "the relations between the two parties and the two countries must move forward with the times, always strengthen the socialist cause, and ensure that the great friendship between China and North Korea is passed down through generations," the agency said.
The agency said the talks took place "in a warm and friendly atmosphere" and that Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, was present.
Park also met separately with Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and China's No. 3 leader, at the Great Hall of the People on the afternoon of July 10.
The agency reported that at the meeting, both sides expressed their determination to faithfully implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, uphold the traditional friendship, strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation, and deepen exchanges and cooperation between legislative bodies to promote greater progress in China-North Korea relations.
Meanwhile, the agency reported that a banquet marking the 65th anniversary of the signing of the North Korea-China Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance was held on July 10 at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.
At the banquet, Cai Qi, secretary of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the General Office of the Central Committee, said that "China-North Korea friendship has withstood the test of changes in the international situation, advanced with the times, and been consolidated and developed." He added that he was willing to "carry forward the traditional friendship and promote the socialist cause and traditional friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries so that they continuously rise to a new stage."
In response, Park said he was pleased to "visit China officially and hold a meaningful commemorative event together with friendly Chinese comrades." Referring to the results of the North Korea-China summit, he said he would work to "further expand and develop exchanges and cooperation in all fields, including politics, the economy and culture, in line with the lofty intentions of the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, and open a new chapter in the development of China-North Korea relations."
Before the banquet, Park held a separate conversation with Cai, the agency said.
The agency also reported that the North Korean government delegation led by Park laid a wreath at the Monument to the People's Heroes in Tiananmen Square in the afternoon of July 10. The ribbon on the wreath, presented in the name of the WPK and the North Korean government delegation, read, "Revolutionary martyrs will live forever."
Earlier, by invitation of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government, the North Korean delegation led by Park departed Pyongyang by private jet on July 10 and arrived in Beijing to attend events marking the 65th anniversary of the signing of the North Korea-China Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance. The delegation was escorted after a welcome ceremony at the airport and while traveling to the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, China's guesthouse for visiting dignitaries.
During his three-day, two-night official visit to China, Park held a one-on-one meeting with the Chinese president. China also provided a motorcycle escort and extended top-level diplomatic protocol comparable to that given to a state guest.
This was the highest level of courtesy in both form and substance, symbolizing the rapid rapprochement and normalization of North Korea-China relations. In particular, the simultaneous exchange of congratulatory messages, the premier's visit to China, Park's meeting with Xi, the publication of a Rodong Sinmun editorial, and the release of an op-ed by the Chinese ambassador to North Korea show that both countries are attaching great strategic importance to this year's 65th anniversary.
However, there were slight differences in the official media coverage of the two countries. Xinhua reported that Park said North Korea would "firmly implement the important agreements reached by the top leaders of the two parties and two countries and firmly support China in safeguarding its core interests on issues such as Taiwan." But North Korean state media did not report any of the remarks related to Taiwan.
On the surface, North Korea-China relations appear to be rapidly recovering and drawing closer through the summit and high-level exchanges. But the outcome seems to reflect a situation in which the two sides still want different things.
mj@fnnews.com Park Moon-soo Reporter