North Korea prominently showcased the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, to the Friendship Tower alongside Kim Jong Un, the General Secretary of the Workers’ Party. This event underscored the close alliance between the two nations.
On Wednesday, the North Korean state media outlet, Rodong Sinmun, reported that President Xi and Peng laid a floral tribute at the Friendship Tower in Pyongyang on the previous day. Kim and his wife, Ri Sol Ju, welcomed them at the site. The Friendship Tower serves as a monument honoring the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army soldiers who fell during the Korean War.
According to the newspaper, after paying their respects to the fallen soldiers, the two leaders entered the tower, guided by Kim, to view historical materials and photographs of the heroes.
The report stated that both leaders expressed a shared sentiment: The days when our two peoples fought together through thick and thin will never fade with the passage of time. They agreed on the importance of jointly preserving the memorial sites dedicated to the Chinese Volunteer Army heroes, deepening the education of revolutionary traditions, and fostering ideological and moral education among the youth to pass on the traditional friendship between North Korea and China.
The newspaper also reported that Xi and Kim planted trees together at the Workers’ Party Central Cadre School. This marks the first visit by a Chinese leader to the party’s cadre school.
The two leaders unveiled a commemorative plaque and took a group photo. Xi even entered a classroom to observe a lesson. They reportedly sat side by side on an electric car, candidly discussing the party’s cadre training system and educational content while touring the campus.
During lunch at the Kumsusan State Guesthouse, Xi, Peng, Kim, and Ri shared a meal together. The newspaper noted that Xi and Kim expressed satisfaction with establishing a grand blueprint for the development of their relationship through their meeting in Pyongyang. They called it a year of significant milestones for the China-North Korea friendship and conveyed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties amidst the complexities of the international situation.
Lastly, the newspaper detailed Xi and Peng’s departure from Pyongyang International Airport the previous afternoon. It reported that as Xi’s motorcade left the Kumsusan State Guesthouse for the airport, the citizens of Pyongyang warmly greeted them along the way.
High-ranking North Korean officials, including Kim and Ri, came out in large numbers to bid farewell at the airport. Xi reviewed the honor guard of the People’s Army, and afterward, both delegations exchanged warm handshakes as they said their goodbyes, according to the newspaper.
Xi arrived in Pyongyang on Monday and completed his two-day visit before returning to Beijing. This marks Xi’s first state visit to North Korea in seven years since 2019. During this visit, both leaders repeatedly emphasized the development of a strategic relationship between their countries.
Notably, North Korea extended exceptional hospitality and ceremony to Xi and his wife, showcasing the importance of their bilateral relations.
