China today pledged to strengthen bonds with isolated North Korea, calling their relationship a boon to peace.
The renewed courting between the two communist neighbours came in messages between Chinese President Hu Jintao and North Korea's top leader, Kim Jong-il, who yesterday greeted Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at the start of a visit intended to bolster bilateral relations.
The messages marked 60 years since the countries established formal ties on October 6th, 1949, and made no mention of the North's nuclear weapons programme, stressing instead their focus on shoring up sometimes tense ties.
"History demonstrates that developing China-North Korea relations is in keeping with the fundamental interests and shared wishes of both countries' people," said the congratulatory message from China, issued by the official Xinhua news agency. "It also benefits protecting regional peace and stability."
In a message to China, Kim Jong-il and other North Korean leaders said relations would "constantly consolidate and develop," Xinhua reported.
The mutual wooing between the world's third biggest economy and the impoverished, reclusive North sets apart Beijing's approach to Pyongyang from the harder line long favoured by Washington, Tokyo and other regional capitals.
Other governments have pushed China to use its crucial energy and food supplies to the North to put more pressure on Pyongyang to curb nuclear weapons development. Beijing has been angered by Pyongyang's nuclear threats, but said repeatedly that sanctions will not work, and only renewed negotiations can bring progress.
Analysts said Mr Wen's visit, however, was unlikely to yield more than opaque promises on the nuclear dispute.
Pyongyang has sometimes appeared prickly about the size and influence of its much bigger neighbour, which has backed United Nations resolutions condemning North Korea's nuclear tests.
But Kim made a rare appearance to greet Mr Wen at the start of his trip, showing how serious is about ties with China. Kim is widely believed to have suffered a serious illness last year.
Reuters