China boosts North Korea partnership with rare praise during high-profile visit

North Korean Premier Pak Thae-song has begun his three-day trip to China, as Beijing offers rare praise for its socialist neighbour’s economic achievements.Pak, a member of the Politburo Presidium of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, landed at Beijing Capital International Airport on Friday morning accompanied by a joint party and government delegation.In a rare move early Friday, People’s Daily, a Communist Party newspaper, published an article praising important North Korean construction projects for “infusing socialist construction with robust vitality”.00:58North Korea to arm navy with nuclear weapons and build bigger warshipsThe piece highlighted Pyongyang’s progress in tackling housing issues for both urban and rural residents, noting the completion of 50,000 housing units in the capital over the past five years and some 32,000 newly built homes in rural areas in 2025.It also commended North Korea’s progress in rural food production and large-scale construction of industrial factories, hospitals and service facilities across the country.