North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed to develop bilateral ties with China regardless of changes in the international situation in his message to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, according to Pyongyang's state media. Kim sent a congratulatory message to Xi to mark the 76th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). At that time, Kim and Xi held their first talks in more than six years signalling that ties have been restored after remaining strained by North Korea's close alignment with Russia. North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui returned home Tuesday after making a four-day trip to China. Her recent trip may have been aimed at coordinating responses with China over Xi's planned summits with President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump.