The top diplomats of North Korea and China have pledged to further develop relations between their countries as they exchanged messages to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties, the North's state media reported on Monday. North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, exchanged messages on Sunday, commemorating the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). In her message, Choe emphasized the close cooperation between North Korea and China in various fields, including politics, economics and culture, the KCNA said. "In the complex and multifaceted current international situation, strengthening North Korea-China friendship and advancing the socialist cause together is an important task for the foreign ministries of both countries," Choe said. In response, Wang noted that bilateral relations have entered a new historical phase under the leadership of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese P resident Xi Jinping in recent years. "Safeguarding, consolidating, and developing the excellent relationship between China and North Korea is a firm and unwavering policy of the Chinese party and government," Wang said. The KCNA earlier reported that Kim and Xi had exchanged messages on Sunday to mark the anniversary of their countries' diplomatic ties. China has long been considered North Korea's closest ally and largest economic benefactor, but relations between the two nations have appeared to have somewhat cooled, with no signs of large-scale celebrations or exchanges between high-level officials on the occasion. Source: Yonhap News Agency