China and North Korea strengthened cultural ties on Monday as President Xi Jinping, along with his wife, Peng Liyuan, welcomed Ri Su-yong and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) performers to Beijing.
Ri, a senior official from the DPRK and a group of North Korean artists visited Beijing on Monday, China Daily reported. The art troupe performed both North Korean and Chinese songs in front of Xi, Ri, and Peng as the two countries celebrated 70 years of diplomatic relations.
During the meeting, Ri, representing North Korean President Kim Jong Un, expressed good wishes to the Chinese leader and his wife. Since 2018, the two countries have held four meetings that seek to improve bilateral ties.
Xi said China is prepared to implement rules agreed upon by both parties to ensure that the Chinese and North Korean people will benefit, adding that the two countries are eager to contribute to the world's stability and development.
Before Monday's meeting, the Communist Party of China's International Department sent an invitation to the DPRK art troupe, to which the North Korean government quickly agreed on.
China and North Korea have been culturally collaborating for the past years. For Ri, the state visit and art performance is president Kim's way of expressing his goodwill for Xi and the Chinese people.
The meeting came as China and the United States engage in a trade dispute, not to mention that it was held ahead of North Korea's upcoming summit with the U.S. Some analysts believe that the cultural meeting was held to send a message to U.S. President Donald Trump.
China and the U.S. are in a trade dispute after the countries' leaders did not reach a deal during their December meeting. A tariff truce has been laid out and is set to end in March. Kim, on the other hand, is scheduled to meet Trump next month to discuss issues on denuclearization.
Sean King, senior vice-president of political strategy firm Park Strategies, said Xi's attendance in the art performance was one of the Chinese president's ways to "let Kim, and the world, know he has Kim's back when Kim meets [US President] Donald Trump again," the South China Morning Post reported.
King added that Xi could be letting Trump know that Beijing and North Korea have "increasingly close ties." The U.S. has yet to establish the same relationship with the DPRK and its leaders.
