BEIJING • China is looking to boost ties with North Korea and Russia following a contentious meeting with United States officials in Alaska last week.
"We are willing to work hand in hand with North Korean comrades to maintain, consolidate and develop China-North Korean relations," the official Xinhua News Agency reported, citing verbal messages delivered on behalf of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The message comes after senior US diplomats visited Japan and South Korea before the meeting with their Chinese peers.
Beijing may also be taking stock of its own allies, with a visit from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov this week. In an interview with media outlets including China Global Television Network, Mr Lavrov called for cooperation between Russia and China in response to an alleged hegemony pursued by some Western nations led by the US. He also promoted settlement of deals in currencies that can replace the US dollar and help reduce risks posed by sanctions.
Mr Xi reiterated that China is willing to work with North Korea and other related parties to preserve peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, according to Xinhua.
The remarks were delivered by Mr Song Tao, a senior Chinese diplomat, and Mr Ri Ryong Nam, North Korea's new ambassador to China, at a meeting on Monday.
In Seoul last week before meeting Chinese officials, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Mr Biden's approach towards North Korea was still under review, and stressed China's "clear self-interest" in getting its neighbour and Cold War ally back to the table.
China is North Korea's biggest benefactor, for years providing a lifeline that helped keep its neighbour's struggling economy afloat.
Beijing is also a key player for managing the effectiveness of the global sanctions regime to punish Mr Kim Jong Un for his nuclear weapon and ballistic missile tests.
Mr Kim sent a verbal message to Mr Xi as part of their strategic communication, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported yesterday.
Mr Kim "stressed the need to strengthen the unity and cooperation between the two parties and two countries to cope with the hostile forces' all-round challenges and obstructive moves", KCNA said, in reference to what Pyongyang sees as the threat posed by the US.
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