North Korea's ruling party newspaper has praised Chinese President Xi Jinping for starting an unprecedented third term as the leader of the Communist Party. It called for deeper ties between the two countries.

The Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, carried an editorial lauding Xi on its front page on Monday.

The editorial says that Xi's leadership has protected China's core interests from oppressive maneuvers by hostile forces -- an apparent reference to the United States.

It stressed that North Korea and China must step up unity and cooperation, as scheming by imperialists is becoming apparent.

The front page also featured a congratulatory telegram to Xi from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

On Monday, Chinese customs authorities said the value of trade between China and North Korea in September was around 104 million dollars.

The figure increased for four months in a row, becoming the largest since February 2020, when effects of the pandemic became apparent.

The coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll on North Korea's economy, and Pyongyang is believed to be hoping to expand cooperation with China.