China's defense chief sends congratulatory message to N. Korea over army anniversary

This image, captured from footage of North Korea's Korean Central Television on Feb. 9, shows the North holding a military parade at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang the previous day to mark the 75th founding anniversary of its armed forces. Yonhap

China's defense minister has sent a congratulatory message to his North Korean counterpart on the occasion of the North's 75th founding anniversary of its armed forces last week, Pyongyang's state media said Tuesday.

In the letter to North Korean Defense Minister Kang Sun-nam, China's defense chief Wei Fenghe pledged efforts to promote the ties of the two nations' armies and defend regional peace, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The message said the two countries' traditional friendly relationship will be "everlasting" and military ties between Beijing and Pyongyang, an integral part of the bilateral relations, have been solidly developing.

Wei expressed a "willingness to enhance friendly relations between the armies of the two nations and promote peace and stability in the region," the KCNA said.

North Korea has been deepening its ties with China, the North's traditional ally and economic benefactor, amid global sanctions on its nuclear and missile programs and stalled denuclearization talks with the United States.

In August last year, then North Korean Defense Minister Ri Yong-gil sent a congratulatory message to Wei to mark the 95th founding anniversary of China's People's Liberation Army. (Yonhap)