• North Korea's Premier Pak Thae-song holds talks with Chinese counterpart Li Qiang in Pyongyang

ISTANBUL

Chinese President Xi Jinping has told North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that his country is prepared to solidify strategic cooperation with Pyongyang on international and regional issues, the North Korean state media reported Sunday.

Xi reiterated China's commitment in a message Thursday that was sent to Kim in response to the North Korean leader's congratulatory telegram for the 76th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

North Korea and China are "great neighbors, friends and comrades that help each other, and the traditional friendship between the two countries is solidifying as time passes," KCNA quoted Xi as saying.

Xi said China is prepared to inherit and further develop the traditional friendship with North Korea to deepen friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation.

China is willing to "strengthen strategic cooperation on international and regional issues" to provide greater welfare to the peoples of both nations and jointly protect peace, stability and international equity and justice in the region, Xi was quoted as saying.

Kim and Xi held their first talks in more than six years in Beijing last month during the North Korean leader's visit to attend a military parade.

In a related development, North Korea's Premier Pak Thae-song held talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang in Pyongyang, with the former reiterating his country's support for Beijing's policies on Taiwan and other core national interests, KCNA reported Sunday.

The meeting took place on Saturday as Li was visiting Pyongyang to attend events marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea.

Reaffirming his country's intent to explore "new phases in friendship," Pak said Li's visit provided an important opportunity to elevate North Korea-China relations to a higher level.

He also expressed "firm" support for China's policies and positions aimed at safeguarding its core national interests, including on Taiwan, saying Pyongyang will jointly oppose "hegemonism" and protect a fair international order and peace.

Li, for his part, reiterated Beijing's intent to solidify its friendship with Pyongyang regardless of changes in the international security situation.

China, he added, is ready to mutually support Pyongyang on the multilateral stage to uphold international equity and justice.

Li and Pak also discussed strengthening strategic communications and enhancing exchanges and cooperation between the two allies.

*Aamir Latif in Karachi contributed to this report​​​​​​​