Seoul, March 25 (IANS): A senior North Korean official has called for further strengthening ties with China, state media said on Monday.

Kim Song-nam, director of the international department at the Workers' Party, made the comments in a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Saturday, noting this year marks the year of the North Korea-China friendship, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between North Korea and China, the North's longtime ally and largest economic benefactor, Yonhap news agency reported.

In response, Wang said he is certain their friendly ties will advance under the strategic leadership of their leaders and said Beijing will bolster communication and cooperation with Pyongyang to guard their common interests, the KCNA said.

Kim also met with Wang Huning, a member of the standing committee of the political bureau of the Chinese Communist Party, and Liu Jianchao, the minister of the party's international liaison department Thursday.

Kim was in Beijing for the first leg of his three-nation trip, which will also take him to Vietnam and Laos.

The trip came as North Korea appears to be resuming diplomatic activity with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), following years of Pyongyang's Covid-19 border shutdowns.

Laos plans to host the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and other ASEAN-related meetings as this year's chair country. The annual ARF is the sole regional forum joined by North Korea.

ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.