ISTANBUL

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed to display an “unbreakable” alliance with China in 2024.

His comments came during an exchange of New Year’s greetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping where the pair declared 2024 as the “Friendship Year.”

Xi and Kim said Monday that the two sides will launch activities to mark fraternal ties.

Xi said Beijing was “ready to work” with Pyongyang to take the 75th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations and the China-North Korea Friendship Year “as an opportunity to carry forward the long-standing friendship, deepen strategic mutual trust, enhance exchanges and cooperation.”

It is to “ensure that bilateral ties move forward with the times for greater development so as to better benefit the two peoples, and continuously make new contributions to safeguarding regional peace and stability,” Xi said, according to a statement.

The Chinese leader said the Communist Party and his government have “always viewed” Beijing-Pyongyang “relations from a strategic and long-term perspective.”

“It is China's unwavering policy to maintain, consolidate and develop the long-standing friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries,” Xi stressed.

The North Korean leader said: “2024 is a significant year … (and) socialist construction in the two countries has at the moment entered a new stage of progress and the international situation is undergoing complex changes,” according to a readout by Beijing of the message from Kim.

“The two parties and governments have decided to … further promote the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between the two sides in accordance with needs of the times, which conforms to the common expectation and desire of the people of the two countries,” said Kim.

He said the “unbreakable” friendship “will be fully displayed this year.”

He said activities will promote exchanges in all fields, including politics, economy and culture, further deepen the bonds of friendship and unity and step-up cooperation in “joint efforts to safeguard regional and global peace and stability.”