Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- The Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) hosted a banquet at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on Thursday evening in welcome of the party and government delegation of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on an official goodwill visit to the DPRK.

Present there on invitation were members of the party and government delegation of the PRC led by Zhao Leji, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the C.C., the Communist Party of China (CPC) and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the PRC, Wang Yajun, Chinese ambassador to the DPRK, and staff members of his embassy.

Present there were Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the C.C., the WPK, first vice-president of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly, Ko Kil Son, secretary general of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly, Sung Jong Gyu, minister of Culture, Mun Song Hyok, vice department director of the Central Committee of the WPK, Pak Myong Ho, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Ryu Un Hae, vice-minister of External Economic Relations, and officials concerned.

Choe Ryong Hae made a speech at the banquet.

He said that the Chinese party and government delegation's visit to the DPRK is of great significance in splendidly marking the opening of the "year of the DPRK-China friendship," declared by the top leaders of the two parties and two countries when they exchanged messages of greeting at the beginning of this year, and in opening a new chapter in the history of DPRK-China friendship this year marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Noting that the invincibility and immutability of the DPRK-China friendship with a long history and traditions, forged in blood and consolidated in the protracted joint struggle for anti-imperialist independence and socialism, are unprecedented in the world, he expressed the belief that the two sides of the DPRK and China would substantially boost exchange and cooperation in all fields, including politics, economy and culture, this significant year so as to add new vitality to developing the DPRK-China friendly relations at a higher stage.

Then Zhao Leji made a speech.

Noting that upon authorization by General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Central Committee of the CPC, he would lead the Chinese party and government delegation to pay an official goodwill visit to the DPRK and attend an opening ceremony of the "year of China-DPRK friendship", he said that the China-DPRK friendship, personally provided and developed by the leaders of the elder generations of the two parties and two countries in the struggle for socialist revolution and construction for 75 years after the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, has been strengthened generation after generation.

Wishing the Korean people fresh and bigger successes in various fields of state building, he stressed that the Chinese side, together with the DPRK side, would take the important common understanding by the top leaders of the two parties and two countries as guidelines, carry forward the traditional friendship and boost mutually beneficial cooperation to provide the peoples of the two countries with greater welfare and contribute to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.

The participants in the banquet toasted the good health of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un and the respected Comrade Xi Jinping and the ceaseless development of the relations between the two countries.

The banquet proceeded in an amicable atmosphere overflowing with warm comradeship and friendship. -0-

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