Xi thanks NK leader for condolence message after Jiang's death

Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un take a walk at the Kumsusan State Guesthouse in Pyongyang, June 21, 2019, in this file photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, thanking him for his condolence message following the death of former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin, the North's state media said Sunday.

"On behalf of the Party, government and people of the DPRK, You, Comrade General Secretary, sent a message of condolence before anyone else to express condolences and sympathy over the death of Comrade Jiang Zemin," Xi wrote in the message received Jan. 17, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"On behalf of the Chinese party, government and people, I express my heartfelt thanks to You and convey the thanks of the bereaved family of Comrade Jiang Zemin," he added.

Xi described Jiang as "an outstanding leader with high prestige," who "made an important contribution to consolidating and developing the traditional China-DPRK friendship as a close friend of the Korean Party and people."

"Under the new situation, the Chinese side, together with the Korean side, is willing to continue to defend, consolidate and develop the China-DPRK relations with credit, thus making positive contributions to promoting the socialist causes in the two countries, providing happiness to the two peoples and to achieving the regional peace, stability, development and prosperity," Xi said, according to the KCNA.

Kim sent a message and flowers of condolence shortly after Jiang's Nov. 30 death. (Yonhap)