North Korean state media said Wednesday that the country’s leader Kim Jong-un expressed his intent to improve ties with China in his reply to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s congratulatory message for the North’s Workers’ Party anniversary.

“Together with Comrade General Secretary (Xi), I will further develop the traditional friendly relations between Choson (North Korea) and China, which have entered a new phase of vitality, in line with the demands of the times and will make efforts to progress socialism, the nucleus of our bilateral ties,” Kim was quoted as saying by the North’s Korean Central News Agency.

Kim sent the reply Tuesday in response to Xi’s congratulatory message for the 75th founding anniversary of the Workers’ Party on Oct. 10, according to KCNA.

Kim expressed his gratitude for Xi’s message which he said “added joy to the party members and the people on the memorable day and strongly elates us in our struggle towards the eight party convention,” KCNA said.

Kim also stressed that the people of North Korea and China were “safe despite the serious global health crisis and complex international political developments” thanks to the “solid leadership” of the Workers’ Party and the Chinese Communist Party.

Xi referred to North Korea as China’s “comrade and friend,” and praised Kim’s accomplishments in his message sent on Oct. 10.

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)