The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kim Jong Il, met visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on Wednesday (June 18) 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.

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.

Editor: 张莹