Chinese President Xi Jinping has told North Korean leader Kim Jong-un of his desire to take cooperation between the two countries to the "next level," Pyongyang-based state media said Tuesday. This message of support comes as North Korea has multiplied weapons tests in recent months, arousing the disapproval of the United States and its Japanese, South Korean and Western allies.

"The traditional friendship" between China and North Korea "has long stood the test of changes in the international situation," Xi told Kim Jong-un in a message quoted by North Korea's state news agency KCNA. "I will work tirelessly to take the friendship and cooperation between the two sides to the next level," Xi said, stressing that international relations in the world and Asia are "changing seriously and in a complicated way."

A "rapid, united and robust international response"

KCNA issued the message shortly before a joint statement by G7 foreign ministers condemning North Korea's weapons tests, and demanding that it refrain from any further nuclear test or ballistic missile launch or face a "prompt, united and robust international response."

China is North Korea's main ally and biggest economic backer. The relationship between the two countries was forged during the Korean War (1950-1953) when Mao Tse-tung sent millions of "volunteers" to fight the US-led United Nations forces.

"Lips and teeth"

In 1961, Beijing and Pyongyang signed a treaty of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance in the event of armed attack. Mao described the allies as being as close as "lips and teeth." Those relations have cooled at times due to North Korea's nuclear ambitions, but the growing rivalry between China and the United States in recent years has helped warm them up again.

China and Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution imposing new sanctions on Pyongyang in May 2022 for its repeated ballistic missile launches.

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