North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping have highlighted the unchanging friendship between the two countries in their first summit in about six years.

China’s Xinhua News Agency reported that Kim and Xi sat down for talks on Thursday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Xi said his country attaches “great importance to the traditional friendship” it has with North Korea, calling them good neighbors, adding that Beijing is “willing to maintain, consolidate, and develop” bilateral relations.

Kim reportedly said no matter how the international situation changes, the feeling of friendship cannot change between the two nations.

He also praised China’s “fair” stance on Korean Peninsula issues and expressed hope that Pyongyang and Beijing will continue strengthening coordination on multilateral platforms, such as the United Nations, to safeguard shared and fundamental interests.

Xi echoed Kim's and will continue to enhance coordination with North Korea to safeguard peace and stability on the peninsula.

Xi also stressed that both nations should reinforce strategic cooperation and safeguard shared interests with regard to international and regional issues.

With regard to international and regional issues, Xi also stressed that both nations should reinforce strategic cooperation and safeguard shared interests.

The North Korean leader last visited China in January 2019, amid stalled denuclearization talks with the United States during President Donald Trump’s first term in office.