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Chinese State Delegation Entertained

KCNA

    Pyongyang, October 29 (KCNA) -- The Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly and the Cabinet of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea gave a banquet at the People's Palace of Culture this evening in honor of the Chinese state delegation led by Wu Bangguo, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China, on an official goodwill visit to the DPRK. President Kim Yong Nam of the SPA Presidium in his speech said that the current visit to the DPRK of the Chinese state delegation is the visit of a high-level delegation, the first of its kind after the formation of a new leadership in China, and marks a significant occasion in developing the traditional DPRK-China friendship to a new stage.
    We are pleased to see the traditional DPRK-China friendly relations invariably growing stronger under the deep care of the leaders of the two countries, withstanding all the challenges of the times, he said.
    He sincerely hoped that the friendly Chinese government and people would register greater success in their future efforts to build the People's Republic of China into a prosperous and modern socialist country and reunify the whole country.
    He pointed out that the situation in Northeast Asia centering around the Korean peninsula is reaching an unpredictably difficult phase due to the U.S. invariable hostile policy towards the DPRK.
    To put the DPRK-China friendship on a new higher stage under the present complicated situation conforms with the basic interests of the peoples of the two countries and is beneficial to the peace and security in Asia and the rest of the world, he said, adding that the DPRK would, in the future, too, work hard to boost the traditional DPRK-China friendship together with the Chinese comrades.
    Wu Bangguo in his reply said:
    The Chinese state delegation has come to the DPRK, a fraternal country, with a mission to further consolidate and develop the traditional Sino-Korean friendship.
    The Korean people, united close around the Workers' Party of Korea headed by Comrade General Secretary Kim Jong Il have achieved fresh successes in the work to build a great prosperous powerful nation, develop its external relations and achieve the independent and peaceful reunification of the country. The Chinese people sincerely rejoice over many achievements made by the Korean people and wish them greater success in socialist construction.
    Noting that defending peace and stability on the Korean peninsula is in line with the fundamental interests of both China and the DPRK, he said that the Chinese side supports the improvement of the relations between the north and the south of the Korean peninsula and the realization of its independent and peaceful reunification.
    It is the consistent policy of the Chinese party and government to consolidate and develop the traditional Sino-Korean friendship, he noted, adding that this traditional Sino-Korean friendship has steadily grown strong and developed thanks to the joint efforts of the two sides in recent years.
    We together with the Korean comrades will as ever make positive efforts to steadily consolidate and develop the Sino-Korean ties of friendship and cooperation in the spirit of "inheriting the tradition, orienting to the future and strengthening good neighborliness and cooperation", he stressed.
    Present on invitation at the banquet were Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Vice-Premier of the State Council Zeng Peiyan, Vice-Chairman and Secretary General of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Sheng Huaren, Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK Wu Donghe, Vice-Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the NPC Lu Congmin, Vice-minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, Vice-Minister of Commerce Yu Guangzhou, Deputy Head of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee Liu Hongcai and Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Ge Zhenfeng.
    Also invited were Chinese embassy officials here and Chinese guests staying in the DPRK.
    On hand were Vice-Premier of the Cabinet Kwak Pom Gi, Secretary Kim Yun Hyok of the Presidium of the SPA, Minister of Public Health Kim Su Hak who is also chairman of the Central Committee of the DPRK-China Friendship Association, Vice-Department Director Kim Thae Jong of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Yong Il, Vice-Minister of Foreign Trade Kim Jong Gi, Colonel General Pak Sung Won of the Korean People's Army, DPRK Ambassador to China Choe Jin Su and officials concerned.
    The banquet proceeded in an atmosphere overflowing with the feelings of friendship. Artistes gave a performance at the banquet.