A high-ranking Chinese official who traveled to Pyeongyang on Sunday to attend the regime's founding anniversary conveyed a personal letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Lee Seung-jae reports.
Li Zhanshu, Chairman of China's National People's Congress,... traveled to Pyeongyang in place of Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the 70th anniversary celebrations.
China Central Television reports he also delivered a personal letter from President Xi to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
In the letter,... President Xi hailed Kim's "focused efforts to develop the economy and improve people's livelihood" through his "new strategic line."
The Chinese leader also reaffirmed Beijing's commitment to reinforcing relations with North Korea,... saying he wants to develop them more quickly by "implementing the two sides' common understanding."
During his meeting with Kim Jong-un, President Xi's special envoy reiterated China's commitment to a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.
Li, who's widely seen as President Xi's right-hand man, expressed hope that "North Korea and the U.S. will implement their common understanding made in their bilateral summit,... and keep to the good trend of peace and dialogue."
He added that China wants to play a "constructive role" in resolving Korean Peninsula issues politically with other concerned nations.
The North Korean leader is reported to have reciprocated with an expression of appreciation,.. stressing how the regime is "following a strategic line of focusing on economic development",... adding the North wants to learn from China's experience of economic development and expand their bilateral relations.
Kim also referred to his June summit with U.S. President Donald Trump,... noting that he wants Washington to take action in proportion to North Korean efforts taken in accordance with the deal they reached in Singapore.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.