Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi said on March 20 that the visit to China by Paek Nam Sun, foreign affairs minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is progressing smoothly.

Chinese foreign minister Tang Jiaxuan and Paek Nam Sun held talks on March 18, and they discussed bilateral relations, the situation in the Korean peninsular and the regional issues, Sun said at a regular press conference.

The two sides "reached common grounds" during the talks and were satisfied with the development of the relations of the two countries. The two sides also expressed the willingness to further the traditional friendship, and determined to make all-out efforts to push China-DPRK relations forward, Sun said.

The two sides also discussed the exchange of visit between senior officials of China and the DPRK, Sun added.