China vows to stand by isolated North Korea

By Chris Buckley

BEIJING (Reuters) - China pledged to strengthen bonds with isolated North Korea on Monday, calling their relationship a boon to peace, while reports of swoops on North Korean ships underscored strains behind a recent easing of tension.

The renewed courting between the two communist neighbors came in messages between Chinese President Hu Jintao and North Korea's top leader, Kim Jong-il, who on Sunday greeted Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at the start of a visit intended to bolster bilateral relations.

The messages marked 60 years since the countries established formal ties on October 6, 1949, and made no mention of the North's nuclear weapons program, stressing instead their focus on shoring up sometimes tense ties.

"History demonstrates that developing China-North Korea relations is in keeping with the fundamental interests and shared wishes of both countries' people," said the congratulatory message from China, issued by the official Xinhua news agency. "It also benefits protecting regional peace and stability."

In a message to China, Kim Jong-il and other North Korean leaders said relations would "constantly consolidate and develop," Xinhua reported.

The mutual wooing between the world's third biggest economy and the impoverished, reclusive North sets apart Beijing's approach to Pyongyang from the harder line long favored by Washington, Tokyo and other regional capitals.

Other governments have pushed China to use its crucial energy and food supplies to the North to put more pressure on Pyongyang to curb nuclear weapons development. Beijing has been angered by Pyongyang's nuclear threats, but said repeatedly that sanctions will not work, and only renewed negotiations can bring progress.