On February 23, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message to Kim Jong Un, extending warm congratulations on his election as General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) during the Ninth Congress of the WPK.

In his congratulatory message, Xi Jinping stated that since the Eighth Congress of the WPK, the WPK Central Committee headed by Kim Jong Un has united and led the people of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in their dedicated endeavors, continuously achieving new triumphs in the cause of socialist construction of DPRK. The re-election of Comrade Kim Jong Un as General Secretary of the WPK manifests the profound trust and wholehearted support accorded to him from the WPK, government, and the DPRK people. The Ninth Congress of the WPK was held at a pivotal juncture when the WPK and the DPRK are poised to carry forward the past and usher in the future, and its successful convening assumes great significance. It is hoped that under the strong leadership of the WPK Central Committee headed by Kim Jong Un, the WPK and the people of the DPRK will, taking the momentum of this congress, propel their socialist cause to unprecedented heights.

China and the DPRK are socialist friendly neighbors committed to mutual assistance and mutual support. To safeguard, solidify, and develop China-DPRK relations has always been the steadfast strategic policy of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government. In recent years, my multiple meetings with Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the WPK, have effectively steered the positive development of bilateral relations. Confronted with the accelerated global changes unseen in a century and an international landscape fraught with turmoil and uncertainty, I stand ready to collaborate closely with Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the WPK. Together, we shall direct our respective departments and localities to faithfully implement the vital consensus we have forged, weaving a vibrant new chapter of China-DPRK friendship. This endeavor will not only advance the socialist construction endeavors of both nations but also deepen the bonds of friendship and enhance the well-being of our peoples, thereby contributing significantly to the peace, stability, development, and prosperity of the region and the world at large.