China ready to work with N Korea toward regional peace

A senior Chinese official told North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Friday that China is willing to jointly work with North Korea to promote peace and stability in Northeast Asia, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported from Pyongyang. Li Jianguo, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and vice chairman of the Standing Committee of  the National People's Congress, conveyed to Kim the best regards from Xi Jinping, the new general secretary of China's Communist Party. Li said the party and the Chinese government view China-North Korea ties from a strategic and long-term perspective, and they were ready to work jointly with North Korea to push their friendly relations and cooperation to a higher stage, according to Xinhua. "We are willing to promote closer high-level exchanges and maintain strategic communication between the two parties, expand mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, and enhance communication and coordination on major global and regional affairs so as to jointly promote peace and stability in Northeast Asia," Li said. Kim said his Workers' Party of Korea, together with China's new leadership, would unswervingly strive to consolidate and promote bilateral friendship and cooperation. During their talks, they also exchanged views on issues of common concern, the report said. The delegation headed by Li arrived in the North Korean capital on Thursday.