North Korean leader Kim Jong-un making most of the newfound favor with the leaders of the world’s two most powerful countries exchanged “valuable” opinions with Chinese President Xi Jinping as he briefed recent summit results with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore to the traditional ally in his third visit to China.

The two leaders who developed rapport through three meetings in recent months vowed to “open a new future” in the Korean Peninsula, North Korea’s state broadcaster Korean Central Television said Wednesday in its first report of Kim’s visit to China before he returned home. Kim discreetly visited China in late March and May. North Korean media typically reports on overseas visits days later for security reasons.

Kim arriving on the same Chinese plane that took him to Singapore for a summit meeting with Trump spent two days in Beijing. According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, Xi congratulated Kim for making the “first important step” towards a political settlement of nuclear problem through the summit with Trump.

Xi stressed that China will continue to play a “constructive” role in the affairs of Korea, and Kim confirmed North Korea relies on its “great ally” China to act a pivotal part for denuclearization and peace and security of the Korean Peninsula.

Trump did not hide his disappointment in Kim for turning to Beijing before the ink of their Singapore agreement has dried up. He complained of “a little change in attitude” in the North Korean leader he befriended. His Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be making the third visit to Pyongyang this week to follow up on summit results promising of “complete denuclearization” and “security guarantees.”

On Tuesday, Seoul called off the regular combat-readiness training drill with the United States held usually in the summer after Washington agreed to put military exercise on hold while it was in negotiations “in good faith” with Pyongyang.

By Kim Sung-hoon and Cho Jeehyun

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