Editor's note: Zheng Jiyong, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is the dean of the Institute of Regional Studies at Tianjin Foreign Studies University. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

As the world faces momentous changes unseen in a century, the meeting between Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, and Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is more than a reaffirmation of the traditional friendship between the two countries. It also represents a forward-looking effort to map out the future direction of bilateral relations in the new era.

During his talks with Kim, Xi highlighted two concepts – "top-level planning" and "strategic guidance" – signaling a new phase in China-DPRK relations marked by greater emphasis on strategic direction, institutional support and long-term planning.

The development of the bilateral ties is not merely the continuation of a longstanding friendship. Under the new circumstances, it requires the integration of political mutual trust, pragmatic cooperation, people-to-people bonds and strategic coordination into a comprehensive framework of relationship that serves both the development interests of the two countries and regional stability.

At the heart of this framework is the effort to translate a historical friendship into practical cooperation, political mutual trust into lasting institutional arrangements, and bilateral consensus into a constructive force for regional stability.

From his signed article to his remarks during the talks, Xi not only articulated the strategic positioning of China-DPRK ties, but also outlined practical steps for advancing them. He systematically defined the core positioning of China-DPRK relations from four interrelated dimensions.

Top-level strategic guidance answers the question of who will provide the leadership and direction; the shared socialist ideal explains why the two countries should move forward together; the traditional friendship rooted in a shared destiny reveals the foundation on which the relationship rests; and high-level strategic coordination points to how the two sides can work together in the future.

Taken together, these four dimensions form a coherent framework for understanding both the nature and future trajectory of China-DPRK relations in the new era.

In response to the rapidly evolving international landscape, Xi underscored three principles that "will not change": The CPC and the government's firm stance on highly valuing the China-DPRK traditional friendship, the firm support for General Secretary Kim in leading the DPRK's socialist cause, and the firm commitment to safeguarding the shared interests of the two countries and preserving a favorable strategic environment.

At a deeper level, these commitments reveal that China–DPRK relations are not driven by external pressures or short-term calculations. They reflect a long-term strategic choice grounded in shared history, common interests, mutual security and collaborative development.

Xi also put forward four proposals on developing the relationship, forming a clear and progressively structured framework.

First, the two sides should stay guided by the high-level exchanges and consolidate the foundation of political mutual trust. The China–DPRK relationship has remained resilient through changing circumstances largely because the top leaders of the two countries have maintained close communication and provided strategic guidance at critical historical junctures. High-level exchanges have served as a key mechanism enabling bilateral ties to withstand external challenges and preserve strategic stability.

Second, the two sides should stay committed to the goal of delivering benefits to the people and elevate the level of practical cooperation. China stands ready to work with the DPRK to strengthen the alignment of their respective development strategies and expand practical cooperation. Both should leverage the opportunity of the full reopening of border crossings and the resumption of civil aviation flights and international passenger trains to increase people-to-people exchanges. The more concrete the cooperation, the stronger the sense of the friendship; the closer the exchanges, the greater the resilience of the relationship.

Third, the two sides should uphold the inheritance of friendship as a driving force and strengthen the bonds between their peoples. Through cultural and people-to-people exchanges that are meaningful and sustainable, the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK can become a living part of the everyday life of people in both countries, particularly the younger generations.

Fourth, both sides should uphold fairness and justice as a guiding principle to enrich the substance of strategic coordination. China–DPRK strategic cooperation is aimed at safeguarding the shared security and development interests of regional countries while promoting a more balanced and equitable evolution of the international order.

Kim's response underscored the DPRK's strong recognition of the strategic value of China-DPRK relations. He described the time-tested friendship between the DPRK and China as "unbreakable." He also stressed that "consolidating and developing the DPRK-China friendship in the new era is the choice of the peoples of the two countries and a necessity of the times, and remains the DPRK's consistent strategic choice and steadfast strategic resolve." The DPRK "will, as always, regard the development of DPRK-China relations as the foremost strategic undertaking of the state," he emphasized.

China has made its support for the DPRK's socialist cause explicit, while the DPRK has reaffirmed its support for China in safeguarding its core interests. Such mutual support on major issues of principle constitutes a key political pillar of strategic mutual trust between the two countries in the new era. China's emphasis on the three commitments that "will not change" and the DPRK's commitment to bilateral ties as "unbreakable" and a "strategic choice" echo each other, forming a reciprocal political commitment that underpins the steady development of China-DPRK relations in the new era.

The relationship is also taking on richer and more substantive dimensions of practical cooperation. High-level exchanges are expected to be translated into deeper political mutual trust; engagement between the two parties into mutual learning in governance experience; and practical cooperation into tangible benefits for the people on both sides. The inheritance of the deep traditional friendship is expected to translate into self-identification and support among younger generations, and strategic coordination into stronger capacity to safeguard regional peace.

The significance of this meeting lies not only in the high level of diplomatic protocol or the warmth of the welcome extended during the visit. More importantly, it reflects a shared determination to transform political consensus into institutional arrangements, concrete cooperation projects and sustained momentum for future development.

At this new historical juncture, China-DPRK relations are entering a new stage – one guided by head-of-state diplomacy, grounded in political mutual trust, supported by practical cooperation, rooted in close people-to-people ties and expanded through strategic coordination.

The defining feature of this new stage is the closer integration of traditional friendship with practical cooperation, of bilateral relations with regional stability, and of the development aspirations of the two countries with the broader agenda of global governance.

As Xi noted in his signed article, enduring friendships are forged through the passage of time and proven through trials. This meeting has strengthened political mutual trust through head-of-state diplomacy, expanded development opportunities through practical cooperation, reinforced the social foundation of bilateral ties through people-to-people engagement, and responded to the changing times through strategic coordination.

In doing so, the meeting has laid a stronger political, cooperative, and strategic foundation for the long-term, steady development of China-DPRK relations in the new era.

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