Kim Jong Il (R), top leader of the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), meets with visiting Chinese
Vice President Xi Jinping in Pyongyang, June 18, 2008. (Xinhua/Lan
Hongguang) Photo
Gallery>>>
PYONGYANG, June 18 (Xinhua) -- The top leader of the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kim Jong Il, met visiting Chinese
Vice President Xi Jinping on Wednesday to highlight the warm ties between the
two neighboring countries.
At the meeting, Xi conveyed Chinese President Hu
Jintao's greetings to Kim. He also congratulated the leader on the 60th
anniversary of the founding of the DPRK, wishing it even more and greater
achievements in the future.
Kim, who is the general secretary of the Workers'
Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the National Defence Commission, asked Xi
to convey his greetings to President Hu, general secretary of the the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
Welcoming Xi, Kim said his visit to the DPRK reflects
the great importance attached by China to developing the traditional friendly
relations between the two countries.
Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC
Central Committee's Political Bureau, is in Pyongyang for an official goodwill
visit at the invitation of the WPK Central Committee and the DPRK government.
The DPRK is the first stop on Xi's first overseas
trip since taking office earlier this year. He is also scheduled to visit
Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Yemen.
Kim once again expressed condolences over the loss of
life in the severe earthquake in China's Sichuan province. He praised the
courageous deeds of the CPC, the Chinese government, the armed forces and the
people of China during the rescue mission.
Kim Jong Il (2nd R Front), top leader of
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and visiting Chinese
Vice President Xi Jinping (2nd L Front) walk to the meeting hall in
Pyongyang, June 18, 2008. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) Photo Gallery>>>
Their work fully demonstrated the advantages of the
socialist system with Chinese characteristics. said Kim.
He expressed the belief that under the strong
leadership of the CPC and the Chinese government, the Chinese people will
definitely be able to overcome the aftermath of the earthquake and successfully
rebuild the quake-affected areas.
He also wished the Beijing Olympic Games all success.
Following the devastating earthquake of May 12, the
WPK, the DPRK government and the people of the country expressed condolences to
China in various forms, and also provided relief assistance, Xi said.
He hailed the successful Beijing Olympic torch relay
in Pyongyang.
The Chinese vice president expressed his heartfelt
gratitude for the support, which he described as a token of the deep feelings
and profound friendship the people of the DPRK nurture toward the Chinese.
China is taking active steps to rebuild the
quake-affected areas, he said, adding that his country is confident and fully
capable of achieving success in combating the natural disaster while maintaining
social and economic development.
China is capable of hosting a high-level Olympic
Games with unique characteristics, Xi emphasized.
He said the traditional friendship between China and
the DPRK was fostered by earlier generations of leaders from both countries and
forged with the blood of the two peoples.
The people of the two countries have always
understood, sympathized, supported and helped each other, said Xi, adding that
the China-DPRK friendship is inalterable and has withstood international flux.
He said China is ready to work with the DPRK to add
momentum to the development of bilateral relations.
China is ready to maintain high-level contact and
deepen trade and economic cooperation with the DPRK, he added.
Xi made special mention of the China-DPRK friendship
year to beheld jointly in 2009. He also proposed the two countries strengthen
coordination on regional and international issues of common concern.
Kim said the DPRK-China friendship is an invaluable
heritage handed down by the previous generations of revolutionaries of either
nation. This friendship has been and will always be an invaluable treasure, he
added.
It is the firm and unchangeable stance of the DPRK to
unswervingly work for the development of the traditional DPRK-China friendship,
the top DPRK leader pledged.
The year 2009 marks the 60th anniversary of the
establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, which will jointly
host DPRK-China friendship year activities.
The DPRK is ready to take this opportunity to join
hands with China to further advance friendly and cooperative mutual relations,
Kim said.
The two leaders also exchanged views on the six-party talks aimed at denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.
