Xi, Putin pledge closer 'strategic' ties with N. Korea in founding anniv. messages

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin sent congratulatory letters to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for the North’s founding anniversary, pledging closer strategic ties with Pyongyang. KCNA said the letters arrived as North Korea marked its 78th national founding anniversary on Sept. 9, 1948. Xi said his June visit to Pyongyang opened a new chapter in bilateral ties, while Putin vowed to further consolidate a comprehensive strategic partnership.

North Korea marked its 78th national founding anniversary on Sept. 9, 1948, KCNA said.

Xi said Kim had achieved a series of development successes by focusing on economic and social construction.

Xi described his June visit to Pyongyang as opening a new chapter in the development of bilateral ties.

Putin said the Moscow-Pyongyang relationship fully conforms to the interests of both countries and would contribute to regional security and a new, more just and multipolar world order.

Published Sep 9, 2026 7:51 am KST

These photos, from left to right, of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin have been published by the Korean Central News Agency, Xinhua News Agency and Tass, respectively. Yonhap

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin have sent congratulatory letters to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un marking the North's national founding anniversary, vowing to strengthen "strategic" relations with Pyongyang, North Korea's state media said Wednesday.

The letters arrived as North Korea observed the 78th anniversary of its national founding on Sept. 9, 1948, by the current leader's late grandfather, Kim Il-sung, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Xi noted that Kim has achieved "a series of development successes" in recent years by focusing on "economic and social construction."

"It is the consistent and steadfast policy of the Chinese party and government to successfully defend, consolidate and develop the China-DPRK relations," he wrote. DPRK is the acronym for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Referring to his visit to Pyongyang in June, Xi said the occasion opened up "a new chapter" in the development of the bilateral ties, vowing to work with Kim to accelerate the development of each side's party and state affairs.

Putin also noted North Korea "has made remarkable successes in the socio-economic fields and extremely strengthened its position in the world arena," according to the KCNA.

"The relations between Moscow and Pyongyang have been established always on the basis of the principle of friendship, good neighborliness and mutual assistance," he wrote in his letter sent a day earlier.

He vowed to "further consolidate the comprehensive strategic partnership" with North Korea, which he said fully "conforms to the interests" of both countries, and "will contribute to ensuring regional security and establishing a new, more just and multi-polarized world order."

The KCNA said Kim has received congratulatory messages from the leaders of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Mongolia, Sweden, Belarus, Switzerland, Zimbabwe, Singapore and Equatorial Guinea.

中国国家主席习近平和俄罗斯总统普京分别致信朝鲜领导人金正恩，祝贺朝鲜建国78周年，并承诺加强与平壤的战略关系。朝中社报道称，贺信于朝鲜9月9日庆祝建国78周年之际送达。习近平表示，他6月对平壤的访问开启了中朝关系的新篇章，普京则承诺进一步巩固全面战略伙伴关系。

朝中社报道，1948年9月9日是朝鲜建国78周年纪念日。

习近平表示，金正恩通过重点发展经济和社会建设，取得了一系列发展成就。

习近平称他6月对平壤的访问开启了双边关系发展的新篇章。

普京表示，莫斯科与平壤的关系完全符合两国的利益，并将有助于地区安全和建立一个更加公正和多极化的新世界秩序。

发布于2026年9月9日 上午7:51（韩国标准时间）

这些照片从左至右依次为朝鲜领导人金正恩、中国国家主席习近平和俄罗斯总统普京，分别由朝鲜中央通讯社、新华社和塔斯社发布。（韩联社）

朝鲜官方媒体周三报道称，中国国家主席习近平和俄罗斯总统普京已致信朝鲜领导人金正恩，祝贺朝鲜建国周年，并誓言加强与平壤的“战略”关系。

据朝中社报道，这些信件抵达朝鲜之际，正值朝鲜纪念其建国78周年，建国日期为1948年9月9日，由现任领导人已故的祖父金日成创立。

习近平指出，金正恩近年来通过重点发展“经济和社会建设”，取得了“一系列发展成就”。

他写道：“维护、巩固和发展中朝关系是中国党和政府一贯坚持的坚定政策。”朝鲜民主主义人民共和国是朝鲜的正式国名。

习近平在谈到他6月份访问平壤时表示，此次访问开启了双边关系发展的“新篇章”，并誓言愿与金正恩一道加快双方党政发展。

据朝中社报道，普京还指出，朝鲜“在社会经济领域取得了显著成就，并在世界舞台上极大地加强了其地位”。

他在前一天发出的信中写道：“莫斯科和平壤之间的关系始终建立在友好、睦邻友好和互助的原则之上。”

他誓言要“进一步巩固与朝鲜的全面战略伙伴关系”，并表示这完全“符合”两国的利益，“将有助于确保地区安全，建立一个更加公正和多极化的新世界秩序”。

朝中社称，金正恩收到了来自越南、老挝、柬埔寨、蒙古、瑞典、白俄罗斯、瑞士、津巴布韦、新加坡和赤道几内亚领导人的贺电。