Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), received a reply message from Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and president of the People's Republic of China (PRC), on October 13.

Xi, in the message, expressed his heartfelt thanks to General Secretary Kim Jong Un for having sent a message of warm and sincere greeting to him on the occasion of the 73rd founding anniversary of the PRC.

This year marks the 73rd founding anniversary of new China, he said, adding that over the past 73 years, the Chinese people of several races have achieved world-startling development and success and made a great leap forward characterized by powerfulness from rising and richness by uniting themselves and making redoubled efforts under the leadership of the CPC.

Noting that the CPC is to convene its 20th congress in a few days, he said that the congress is of weighty significance as it is convened at a crucial time in which the CPC and different nations of China have entered a new course of comprehensively building a modern socialist country and advance towards the second century target and socialism with the Chinese characteristics in the new era will make a new journey and steadily register a new chapter.

The message further said:

China and the DPRK are friendly neighbors linked by the same mountain and rivers and the traditional friendship between the two countries is getting more solid with the passage of time.

Now, a serious and complicated change is made in the international and regional situation and more clearly projected is the importance to promote the strategic communication between China and the DPRK and boost their unity and cooperation.

Under the new situation, I am ready to, together with you, strive to promote the advance and development of the traditional China-DPRK relations of friendship and cooperation along with the times and to make bigger contribution to providing the two countries and their peoples with greater happiness and defending the regional and global peace and stability.

Xi in the message said he is rejoiced over the fact that the Korean people have steadily made fresh achievements in the economic development and the improvement of people's standard of living in recent years under the leadership of the WPK headed by General Secretary Kim Jong Un.

He wished the fraternal Korean people new and bigger success in accomplishing the cause of building socialism.

He also wished Kim Jong Un good health and smoothness in his work, the DPRK prosperity and the Korean people happiness and wellbeing.

Rodong Sinmun