Beijing (ANTARA) - Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, were warmly\nwelcomed by North Korean Supreme Leader and General Secretary of the\nWorkers\u2019 Party, Kim Jong Un, upon their arrival in Pyongyang on Monday\nafternoon local time for a state visit. Kim Jong Un and his wife, Ri Sol\nJu, who made their first public appearance of the year, personally met\nXi Jinping and Peng Liyuan at the airport.<\/p>\n
According to a written statement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign\nAffairs, following the reception beneath the aircraft, Kim Jong Un\norganised a formal welcoming ceremony for Xi Jinping at Kim Il Sung\nSquare in Pyongyang. At the centre of the square, giant portraits of the\nsupreme leaders of both the government and the parties of the two\nnations were displayed. On either side, bilingual slogans in Chinese and\nKorean were prominently featured, reading \u201cEternal North Korea-China\nFriendship\u201d and \u201cLong Live the Unshakeable Unity and Friendship of North\nKorea and China.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crowds gathered to witness the arrival of the two leaders. As Xi\nJinping and Peng Liyuan arrived by car, a cavalry troop paraded in their\nhonour, accompanied by a military band playing welcoming melodies. Kim\nJong Un and Ri Sol Ju met the visitors on the field, where the four\nleaders shook hands and exchanged greetings with the accompanying\ndelegation.<\/p>\n
Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un then ascended the honour podium, followed\nby the playing of the national anthems of China and North Korea by the\nmilitary band, accompanied by a 21-gun salute. Accompanied by Kim Jong\nUn, Xi Jinping inspected the honour guard of the three branches of the\nKorean People\u2019s Army, with guards shouting well-wishes in Korean. The\nleaders then proceeded to witness a military parade.<\/p>\n
Citizens from various walks of life in Pyongyang, including children,\ndressed in festive attire, waving flags, flowers, and balloons while\nchanting slogans of China-North Korea friendship amidst loud applause\nand cheers. Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un walked along the red carpet,\nwaving to the crowds and children.<\/p>\n
At the conclusion of the welcoming ceremony, colourful balloons\nbearing bilingual welcoming slogans were released over the square.\nSubsequently, Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan travelled by car to the\nKumsusan Guesthouse for their stay, with Kim Jong Un and Ri Sol Ju\npersonally escorting them to the state guest house. Along the route from\nthe airport to Kim Il Sung Square and the Kumsusan Guesthouse, North\nKorean citizens lined the streets to wave in welcome. Accompanying Xi\nJinping were Cai Qi, Secretary of the Communist Party of China\nSecretariat, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and other high-ranking\nofficials.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/xi-jinping-welcomed-with-grand-ceremony-in-pyongyang-1780973935", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }