Kim Jong Un sends flower basket for Xi Jinping's 73rd birthday after 3-year gap

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a congratulatory message and flower basket to Chinese President Xi Jinping on his 73rd birthday, marking the first public birthday greeting from Kim to Xi in three years. The gesture, reported by North Korean state media on June 16, underscores a recent warming of relations between the two neighboring countries.

In his message, Kim expressed warm congratulations on Xi's birthday and wished him good health. He also expressed hopes that Xi would achieve greater success in leading China's socialist construction as the core leader of the Chinese Communist Party. The flower basket's ribbon bore the inscription, "Warmly congratulate Comrade General Secretary Xi Jinping on his birthday."

The message and flower basket were delivered by the North Korean ambassador to China to relevant officials within the Chinese Communist Party's Central International Liaison Department. Analysts interpret this public display of birthday wishes as a reflection of the continuously strengthening ties between North Korea and China.

This renewed engagement comes at a time of significant geopolitical shifts, with both nations navigating complex international relations. The public acknowledgment of Xi's birthday by Kim Jong Un serves as a visible sign of diplomatic alignment and mutual support between Pyongyang and Beijing.