China is looking to boost ties with North Korea and Russia following a contentious meeting with U.S. officials in Alaska last week.
"We are willing to work hand in hand with North Korean comrades to maintain, consolidate and develop China-North Korean relations,” verbal messages delivered on behalf of Chinese President Xi Jinping to North Korea said, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
The messages come after senior U.S. diplomats visited Japan and South Korea before the meeting with their Chinese peers, as Washington seeks to shore up its alliances in Asia. U.S. President Joe Biden has said he wants to work with "like-minded countries” to forge a common approach to China.