Xi congratulates N.K. leader on re-election as State Affairs Commission chief

SEOUL, April 12 (Yonhap) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulations message to Kim Jong-un on his re-election as North Korea's leader, Beijing's state media said Friday.

Kim was re-elected as chairman of the State Affairs Commission, Pyongyang's highest administrative apparatus, during the first session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly, the rubber-stamp parliament, on Thursday, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency.

China's Xinhua News Agency reported that in his message, Xi said that Kim's re-election demonstrated the "trust and support" for the leader from the North's ruling Workers' Party and its people.

"It is delightful to see that under the leadership of Kim, the DPRK's economic and social development has continuously made new progress in recent years, with its socialist cause entering a new stage in history," Xi was quote by Xinhua as saying.

DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The Chinese leader also said that under Kim's new strategic line focusing on economic development, the North will make "bigger achievements in various undertakings on national construction and development."

Xi also expressed a willingness to use the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Beijing and Pyongyang to further enhance the bilateral relationship so as to bring more benefits for the two countries and their peoples.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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