BEIJING (Reuters) - China pledged to strengthen bonds with isolated North Korea, nudging it to improve its economy, while reports of Indian and South Korean swoops on North Korean shipping underscored strains behind a recent easing of tension.
The renewed courting between the two communist neighbours came in messages between Chinese President Hu Jintao and North Korea's top leader, Kim Jong-il, who on Sunday hugged Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at the start of a visit intended to bolster bilateral relations.
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