A Chinese official will meet North Korean leader Kim in Pyongyang in the highest-level talks in recent years

BEIJING (AP) — A senior Chinese official reaffirmed ties with North Korea during a meeting with leader Kim Jong Un in the capital Pyongyang on Saturday, Chinese state media reported, in the highest-level talks between the allies in years.

The visit by Zhao Lejie, who is third in the ruling Communist Party hierarchy and chairs the ceremonial parliament, comes as North Korea tests missiles to intimidate South Korea and its ally the United States.

Xinhua news agency reported that Zhao told Kim in a meeting that ended his three-day visit that China, the North's most important source of economic aid and diplomatic support, looked forward to further developing ties, but ignored the political situation in the region. a peninsula or region.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 75 years ago, China and North Korea have “been friendly neighbors and worked together to achieve a common destiny and level of development,” Xinhua quoted Zhao as saying.

China fought on behalf of the communist state against the United States and others during the 1950-1953 Korean War, and in recent years Beijing has helped prop up its ailing economy in response to allegations it violated UN sanctions in response to Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program. approved.

On Thursday, Zhao met with his North Korean counterpart, Choe Ryong Hye, to discuss how to promote exchanges and cooperation in all fields, North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency reported.

North Korea has closed its borders amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic amid reports of major outbreaks and food shortages. Zhao's visit to North Korea was the first bilateral exchange involving a member of China's Politburo Standing Committee since the start of the pandemic. Before the outbreak, Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping held two summits in 2019.

North Korea and China are expected to hold a series of exchanges this year to mark the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. North Korea has sought to increase its cooperation with Beijing and Russia amid conflict with the United States and South Korea over its missile launches and nuclear program.

Kim traveled to Russia in September to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The US, South Korea and others accuse North Korea of ​​providing conventional weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine in exchange for advanced weapons technology and other support.

China has refused to criticize Russia's invasion, accusing the US and NATO of provoking Moscow, but says it does not provide direct military support to Moscow.

Associated Press