DPRK leading paper welcomes Chinese premier's visit

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will open a new chapter in the history of the bilateral friendship, a leading DPRK newspaper said on Sunday.

The visit "is of weighty significance in view of the historical period and political importance," and proves that the Chinese party and government "attach great importance to the Sino-DPRK friendship," the official Rodong Sinmun daily said in an editorial.

The paper said Wen's visit "demonstrates the steadily developing DPRK-China friendship and gives great encouragement to the Korean people working hard to build a prosperous and powerful socialist nation."

The DPRK-China friendship was forged by revolutionists of the two countries' older generations and had stood various storms and tests, it said.

It has been the consistent stand of the Workers' Party and DPRK government to set store by the traditional DPRK-China friendship and develop it generation after generation, said the editorial, adding that the DPRK people are convinced Wen's visit will be a great success.

The paper also carried articles on China's achievements over the past 60 years.

Wen arrived in Pyongyang Sunday morning for an official goodwill visit to the DPRK.

Source: Xinhua