China and North Korea reaffirm 65‑year friendship treaty

On the 65th anniversary of the 1961 Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong‑un highlighted the “solid and unbreakable” ties between the two countries. Xi recalled his state visit to Pyongyang in June, the first in seven years, and said China will keep strengthening strategic communication regardless of international changes.

North Korean Premier Pak Thae‑song returned to Pyongyang after a three‑day visit to China, where he met President Xi, Premier Li Qiang and other senior officials. In a thank‑you note to Li, Pak pledged to “comprehensively expand and develop” the traditional DPRK‑China relationship. The delegation toured Beijing sites, including the CPC History Exhibition Hall, the rail transit command centre and a green‑energy demonstration project.

The treaty, signed on July 11, 1961 and containing a mutual‑defence clause, underpins a partnership that includes political, economic and military cooperation, with China serving as North Korea’s main trade partner and a key provider of food and energy across their 1,400‑km border.