Reception Given in Beijing to Mark 65th Anniversary of Conclusion of DPRK-China Treaty

Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- A reception was given at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on July 10 to mark the 65th anniversary of the conclusion of the DPRK-China Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance.

Present there was a party and government delegation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on an official visit to the People's Republic of China.

Cai Qi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau, member of the Secretariat and director of the General Office of the C.C., Communist Party of China, made a speech at the reception.

Noting that the peoples of the two countries fought shoulder to shoulder in the days of achieving the national independence and liberation and established close comradeship with blood, he said that the conclusion of the China-DPRK Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance provided a solid political and legal basis for the bilateral friendship.

The China-DPRK friendship has advanced, consolidated and developed along with the times, standing the trials of ever-changing international situation, he said, stressing that Comrade General Secretary Xi Jinping and Comrade General Secretary Kim Jong Un have paved the way and guided the China-DPRK relations to enter a new historic period, looking forward into the distant future.

He expressed the will to carry forward the traditional friendship, regarding the important common understanding reached between the top leaders of the two parties and two countries as the basic and strategic guidelines, and encourage the socialist cause in the two countries and their traditional relations of friendship and cooperation to steadily take a new stage.

Pak Thae Song, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the C.C., Workers' Party of Korea, vice-president of the DPRK State Affairs Commission and premier of the DPRK Cabinet, made a speech.

He said that he was pleased to pay an official visit to the PRC, a friendly neighbor, and hold a significant event together with the friendly Chinese comrades on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the conclusion of the DPRK-China Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance.

During the historic Pyongyang summit in June, Comrade Kim Jong Un and Comrade Xi Jinping discussed the issues of strengthening the strategic coordination and cooperation between the two parties and two countries, firmly safeguarding the sovereignty, security and development interests of the two countries and jointly defending peace and development in the region and the world and reached a consensus of views on them, he noted.

He stressed that the DPRK would strive to open up a new chapter for the development of the DPRK-China relations by further expanding exchange and cooperation in political, economic, cultural and all other fields in conformity with the noble intention of the top leaders of the two parties and two countries.

The participants in the reception toasted the friendship and solidarity between the peoples of the two countries.

Prior to the reception, Pak Thae Song met and had a talk with Cai Qi in a friendly atmosphere. -0-