Kim Jong-un congratulates Xi for re-election, hopes for 'more beautiful' ties

SEOUL - North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un sent a congratulatory letter to Xi Jinping on his re-election as China's leader, saying he hoped to further develop their ties, state news agency KCNA reported on Sunday (Oct 23). "The 20th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party offered a significant landmark for the Chinese party and people in propelling the historic process of the Chinese nation's great prosperity under the banner of the socialist idea with the Chinese characteristics in the new era," Kim said in the letter. "I, together with you, will shape more a beautiful future of the DPRK-China relations meeting the demand of the times and lead the endeavours for its realisation so as to continue to powerfully propel the socialist cause in the two countries." DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name. China's Xi Jinping secured a precedent-breaking third leadership term on Sunday and introduced a new top governing body stacked with loyalists, cementing his place as the country's most powerful ruler since Mao Zedong. This article was first published in Asia One . All contents and images are copyright to their respective owners and sources. Khmer Daily