North says Kim, China's Xi discussed Korean Peninsula issues

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping held broad discussions over the political situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula and called for stronger bilateral ties in the face of "serious and complicated changes" in the region, the North's state media said Friday.

The Korean Central News Agency said the leaders reached "shared understanding" on the issues they discussed but the report did not give any specifics on the stalled nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang over disagreements in exchanging sanctions relief and disarmament.

"The supreme leaders .... broadly exchanged their opinions on the political situation of the Korean Peninsula and other serious international and regional issues," the KCNA said.

They assessed that deepening their relationship was in line with the "mutual interest of the two countries in face of serious and complicated changes in the environment and would be favorable for the region's peace, stability and development."
Chinese state media earlier reported that Kim told Xi he is waiting for a desired response from Washington and the US should meet North Korea halfway to "explore resolution plans that accommodate each other's reasonable concerns."
A commentary in China's official Xinhua news agency said China could play a unique role in breaking the cycle of mistrust between North Korea and the U.S, but that both sides "need to have reasonable expectations and refrain from imposing unilateral and unrealistic demands."