A senior Chinese official reaffirmed ties with North Korea during a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang on Saturday, Chinese state media reported, the highest-level talks between the two allies in years.

Zhao Leji ranks third in the ruling Communist Party leadership and chairs the ceremonial parliament as North Korea tests missiles to intimidate South Korea and its ally the United States.

Xinhua reported that Zhao told Kim at a meeting at the end of his three-day visit that China, as North Korea’s most important source of economic aid and diplomatic support, looked forward to further developing bilateral relations. He made no mention of the political situation on the peninsula or in the region.

Xinhua News Agency quoted Zhao Lijian as saying that since the establishment of diplomatic relations 75 years ago, China and North Korea “are good and friendly neighbors, working side by side to achieve a common destiny and level of development.”

China represented the reclusive communist country against the United States and others during the 1950-53 Korean War and has helped shore up its ailing economy in recent years, allegedly violating U.N. sanctions targeting Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program. Agree.

Zhao Benshan met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Ryong Hae on Thursday to discuss how to promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields, North Korea’s official KCNA news agency reported.

North Korea closed its borders during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak amid reports of severe outbreaks and food shortages. Zhao Ziyang’s visit to North Korea is the first bilateral exchange between members of the Standing Committee of the Chinese Political Bureau since the outbreak. Before the outbreak, Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping held two summits in 2019.

North Korea and China are expected to hold multiple exchanges this year to celebrate the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Facing a standoff with the United States and South Korea over its missile launches and nuclear programme, North Korea has sought to strengthen cooperation with Beijing and Russia.

Kim traveled to Russia in September for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The United States, South Korea and others accuse North Korea of ​​supplying Russia’s war in Ukraine with conventional weapons in exchange for advanced weapons technology and other support.

China has refused to criticize the Russian invasion and accused the United States and NATO of provoking Moscow, but said it would not provide Moscow with direct military support.