‘Eternal Friendship’ … China, North Korea Open ‘New Chapter’ in Ties

Beijing's top legislator Zhao Leji and his North Korean counterpart Choe Ryong Hae are seen in Pyongyang on Friday. (dpa)
Beijing's top legislator Zhao Leji and his North Korean counterpart Choe Ryong Hae are seen in Pyongyang on Friday. (dpa)
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‘Eternal Friendship’ … China, North Korea Open ‘New Chapter’ in Ties

Beijing's top legislator Zhao Leji and his North Korean counterpart Choe Ryong Hae are seen in Pyongyang on Friday. (dpa)
Beijing's top legislator Zhao Leji and his North Korean counterpart Choe Ryong Hae are seen in Pyongyang on Friday. (dpa)

China's top legislator and a senior North Korean official underscored the opening of a "new chapter" of Beijing-Pyongyang relations, the North's state media said on Saturday, as they met for one of the most high-level talks between the allies in years.

Beijing's third highest-ranking official Zhao Leji - a member of the powerful Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party's Politburo - is on a goodwill visit to the nuclear-armed North as the two countries mark 75 years of diplomatic ties, according to AFP.

China is North Korea's most important economic benefactor and diplomatic ally, obstructing US-led efforts at the UN Security Council alongside Russia to impose stricter sanctions on Kim Jong Un's government in response to its increased weapons tests.

Zhao and his North Korean counterpart Choe Ryong Hae attended an opening ceremony for the "year of DPRK-China friendship" in Pyongyang on Friday, North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said, using the acronym for the North's official name.

In a speech, Zhao said it is the "consistent strategic policy" of Beijing to "successfully defend, consolidate and develop" China-North Korea relations, according to KCNA.

China is willing to "thoroughly implement the important common understanding" of the two countries and "open up a new chapter of China-DPRK friendship along with the times", he added.

North Korea's Choe said the two countries' relationship "has greeted a new heyday under the wise leadership" of their leaders, KCNA said.

Some performers wore colorful traditional Korean and Chinese garments, and what appeared to be the final moment of the event highlighted a massive image of the countries' flags, accompanied by the phrase "eternal friendship".

Zhao is China's third highest-ranking official, behind President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.

Xi last met Kim in 2019 before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, making the Pyongyang meeting between Zhao and Choe one of the most high-level meetings in years.

South Korean local media reports said this week that Zhao's trip could include planning for Kim's next potential state visit to Beijing.

North Korea's rhetoric towards the South has been in stark contrast to the friendly relations with Beijing.

This year, Kim has declared Seoul his country's "principal enemy", jettisoned agencies dedicated to reunification and outreach, and threatened war over "even 0.001 mm" of territorial infringement.

China's state-run news agency Xinhua said on Friday that Zhao and Choe discussed the "situation on the Korean peninsula", and Zhao expressed Beijing's willingness to "intensify legislative exchanges and cooperation".



Australia, Britain Sign 50-Year AUKUS Submarine Partnership Treaty

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (C) poses with Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong (L), Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy (2nd-L), Britain’s Defense Secretary John Healey (2nd-R) and Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles (R) before the start of the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) meeting in Sydney on July 25, 2025. (AFP)
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (C) poses with Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong (L), Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy (2nd-L), Britain’s Defense Secretary John Healey (2nd-R) and Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles (R) before the start of the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) meeting in Sydney on July 25, 2025. (AFP)
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Australia, Britain Sign 50-Year AUKUS Submarine Partnership Treaty

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (C) poses with Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong (L), Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy (2nd-L), Britain’s Defense Secretary John Healey (2nd-R) and Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles (R) before the start of the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) meeting in Sydney on July 25, 2025. (AFP)
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (C) poses with Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong (L), Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy (2nd-L), Britain’s Defense Secretary John Healey (2nd-R) and Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles (R) before the start of the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) meeting in Sydney on July 25, 2025. (AFP)

Australia’s government said on Saturday it signed a treaty with Britain to bolster cooperation over the next 50 years on the AUKUS nuclear submarine partnership.

The AUKUS pact, agreed upon by Australia, Britain and the US in 2021, aims to provide Australia with nuclear-powered attack submarines from the next decade to counter China’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific. US President Donald Trump’s administration announced a formal review of the pact this year.

Defense Minister Richard Marles said in a statement that the bilateral treaty was signed with Britain’s Defense Secretary John Healey on Saturday after a meeting in the city of Geelong, in Victoria state.

“The Geelong Treaty will enable comprehensive cooperation on the design, build, operation, sustainment, and disposal of our SSN-AUKUS submarines,” the statement said.

The treaty was a “commitment for the next 50 years of UK-Australian bilateral defense cooperation under AUKUS Pillar I,” it said, adding that it built on the “strong foundation” of trilateral AUKUS cooperation.

Britain’s ministry of defense said this week that the bilateral treaty would underpin the two allies’ submarine programs and was expected to be worth up to 20 billion pounds ($27.1 billion) for Britain in exports over the next 25 years.

AUKUS is Australia’s biggest-ever defense project, with Canberra committing to spend A$368 billion over three decades to the program, which includes billions of dollars of investment in the US production base.

Australia, which this month paid A$800 million to the US in the second instalment under AUKUS, has maintained it is confident the pact will proceed.

The defense and foreign ministers of Australia and Britain held talks on Friday in Sydney on boosting cooperation, coinciding with Australia’s largest war games.

As many as 40,000 troops from 19 countries are taking part in the Talisman Sabre exercises held from July 13 to August 4, which Australia’s military has said are a rehearsal for joint warfare to maintain Indo-Pacific stability.

Britain has significantly increased its participation in the exercise co-hosted by Australia and the United States, with aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales taking part this year.