North Korea on Sunday strongly rejected US claims that Washington and Beijing share the goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, and reaffirmed its status as a nuclear-armed state a day ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Pyongyang.North Korean leader’s sister Kim Yo Jong kim jong unThe US claim that denuclearization was ratified during the recent China-US summit was “complete fabrication and misinformation”, according to a statement carried by state news agency KCNA.She said North Korea would never discuss what she called its “core sovereignty and security”, adding that the country’s nuclear weapons status is enshrined in its constitution and cannot be overturned by unilateral US rhetoric.Kim dismissed denuclearization as an “old dream”, saying, “The policy of continuously strengthening self-defensive nuclear war deterrence declared by the head of state is an irreversible and final conclusion that must be implemented unconditionally.”His comments came as Pyongyang criticized recent US and South Korean military activities, including Washington’s alleged approval of arms exports to South Korea. Kim accused the United States and its allies of undermining regional security through weapons buildups and military exercises involving nuclear-capable forces.North Korea has repeatedly cited such actions as justification for expanding its nuclear arsenal, arguing that it faces persistent external threats. Kim said the country would not remain a “passive spectator” if the regional balance of power was destabilized.The statement was issued a day ahead of Xi’s expected visit to North Korea for talks with Kim Jong Un, his first visit to the country in nearly seven years. Analysts cited by the AP said the visit was likely aimed at strengthening China’s influence over Pyongyang, while avoiding direct pressure on denuclearization.North Korea has focused on boosting its nuclear capabilities since the collapse of high-stakes diplomacy between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump in 2019. In recent days, state media reported that Kim Jong Un had visited nuclear material and weapons factories, calling for an “exponential” expansion of nuclear forces and a sharp increase in missile production capacity.Reuters reported that Kim Yo Jong said North Korea would not tolerate threats and would never back down from its nuclear position, reiterating that US claims about denuclearization discussions involving China were false.North Korea has increasingly aligned itself with Russia in recent years, including supplying troops and conventional weapons to Moscow’s war in Ukraine, according to South Korean and US officials cited by the AP. Officials said Pyongyang has received economic and other assistance from Russia in return.