[KCNA / Yonhap]
SEOUL -- Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to play a constructive role and supported denuclearization on the Korean peninsula at talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, according to the North's official news agency.
At their meeting in Beijing on Tuesday, the two leaders exchanged their evaluations, views and positions on a summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore a week ago, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Wednesday.
Kim and Xi discussed matters of common concern, including the prospect of achieving denuclearization, KCNA said, adding Xi strongly supported North Korea's position and determination for realizing denuclearization and promised to keep demonstrating China's constructive role.
Chinese state-run broadcaster CCTV reported that Kim vowed to push for a permanent peace regime on the Korean peninsula with China and relevant countries. CCTV footage showed Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan greeting Kim and his wife Ri Sol-ju at the Great Hall of the People.
China has tried to keep its balance by highlighting its role in the process of signing a peace treaty that would involve the two Koreas and the United States. China is a signatory of the armistice accord that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.
It was Kim's third visit to China in three months since the reclusive leader launched a flurry of diplomacy that began after North Korea participated in this year's Winter Olympics in South Korea. Kim had visited China in March and May for talks with Xi.
Kim's trip came after Seoul and Washington announced the suspension of their joint military exercise code-named "Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG)". There are about 28,000 US troops stationed in South Korea. Extra US military assets and personnel come from abroad for regular joint drills including UFG, a command post exercise based on computer-simulated war games.
Trump has said that suspending joint exercises was his initiative to facilitate a nuclear deal with Kim.
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
