North Korean Foreign Minister Calls for Stronger Ties With China

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui called for stronger relations with China in a congratulatory message to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, emphasizing the two countries’ traditional friendship and commitments made by their leaders earlier this year.

Choe sent the message on Thursday to mark the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, according to a report carried by North Korean state media. She praised China’s achievements over the past seven decades and presented closer bilateral cooperation as a shared objective.

The message highlighted the June summit in Pyongyang between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Choe said the two leaders had reaffirmed their steadfast determination to build a better future for the peoples of both countries. She also pledged to work with Beijing to fully carry out the agreements reached at that meeting and advance bilateral relations to what she described as a higher stage.

The exchange adds to a series of public statements underscoring the relationship between Pyongyang and Beijing. Kim had separately sent Xi a congratulatory message for the anniversary, expressing his willingness to further develop relations and protect the countries’ common interests. North Korean state media reported Kim’s message on Thursday.

The foreign ministers have also maintained direct contact. Choe and Wang met in Pyongyang in April, when Wang visited the North Korean capital for two days at the invitation of the North’s foreign ministry. Their engagement formed part of the diplomatic activity preceding the leaders’ June talks.

China is one of North Korea’s most important diplomatic partners, and ceremonial messages around major national anniversaries often provide a public indication of how both sides describe the state of their relationship. Choe’s latest statement placed particular emphasis on implementing commitments already made at the leadership level rather than announcing a new agreement.

The wording also showed Pyongyang’s effort to connect longstanding ties with a forward-looking program of cooperation. No additional details were disclosed about the agreements referenced in the message or the specific steps the two governments would take next. The immediate focus remained political coordination, traditional friendship and the leaders’ stated intention to deepen bilateral relations.