Xi calls on China, DPRK to make positive contributions to regional peace, stability

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, on Monday called on China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to make positive contributions to regional peace and stability.

Xi made the remarks during his talks with Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, in Pyongyang.

Xi arrived in the DPRK capital earlier on Monday to begin a two-day state visit at the invitation of Kim, marking his first trip to the DPRK in seven years.

"I am very pleased to visit the beautiful city of Pyongyang once again after seven years. I feel especially warm and familiar. I am ready to work with you, General Secretary, to take this visit as an opportunity to strengthen top-level planning and strategic guidance for China-DPRK relations in the new era, keep bilateral relations advancing with the times and achieve greater progress in bilateral ties, so as to better benefit the two countries and peoples, and make positive contributions to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region and the world," Xi told Kim.

Kim noted that Xi's current trip to the DPRK marks his first overseas visit of the year, which he said stands as a testament to the friendly ties between the two sides.

"General Secretary Xi, your choice of Pyongyang for the first overseas trip this year fully reflects the great importance you attach to DPRK-China relations and the profound friendship between the two countries, which is a tremendous encouragement to the DPRK side. We believe that this visit once again clearly demonstrates that the DPRK and China have always stood on the right side of history -- the side of autonomy and justice. It also shows the world that no matter how the international situation may evolve, the time-tested DPRK-China relations remain unbreakable," said Kim.

Xi calls on China, DPRK to make positive contributions to regional peace, stability

China has recorded ten consecutive quarters of growth in imports and exports with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the data for the second quarter of this year from the General Administration of Customs GAC) showed on Tuesday.

China's trade with ASEAN reached 4.34 trillion yuan (about 640 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2026, marking an 18.2-percent increase compared to the same period of last year, according to GAC.

"In the first half of this year, China's imports and exports with ASEAN stood at 4.34 trillion yuan, up 18.2 percent year on year on. Of this total, imports and exports in the second quarter accounted for 2.37 trillion yuan which represented a year-on-year growth of 20.2 percent and marking the 10th consecutive quarter of growth.," said Lyu Daliang, a spokesman for the customs bureau, at a press briefing.

"China and ASEAN have continuously strengthened infrastructure connectivity. In the first half of the year, China's imports and exports with ASEAN via the new western land-sea corridor grew by 18.2 percent, with railway and highway transport increasing by 24.7 percent and 17.5 percent, respectively," Lyu said.

Established in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Timor-Leste.

China records ten consecutive quarters of trade growth with ASEAN