Kim Jong Il Concludes Visit to China

Kim Jong Il Concludes Visit to China

Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, and chairman of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) National Defence Commission, concluded his three-day unofficial visit to China on Wednesday, a spokesman of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) announced Thursday.

Beginning his visit on May 29, Kim was invited by Jiang Zemin, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and president of the People's Republic of China.

Jiang and Kim held talks in the Great Hall of the People during the visit. Jiang also hosted a banquet to welcome Kim and his party.

Members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Li Peng, who is also Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Zhu Rongji, also premier of the State Council, Li Ruihuan, also Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Hu Jintao, also vice-president of China, met with Kim on separate occasions as well as leading members of Kim's entourage.

Leaders of the two countries exchanged views and reached consensus on major issues of common concern in an intimate and friendly atmosphere. Their topics involved relations between the Worker's Party of Korea and the CPC, and international and regional situation.

Leaders of the two countries agreed that the friendship between China and the DPRK was forged and developed by the older generation of the proletarian leaders in both countries. late Chairman Mao Zedong, late Premier Zhou Enlai, late Comrade Deng Xiaoping and late President Kim Il Sung had paid great attention and care to China-DPRK friendship.

The leaders of the two countries also agreed that to strengthen and develop the friendly relations between China and the DPRK will meet the common desire of people in both countries and serve the fundamental interests of the two peoples at the turn of the century when international situation changes constantly and complicatedly. It will also be conducive to peace and stability in the region and the world as well.

The two sides stressed that the two parties and countries will make joint efforts to carry on the tradition, and in the coming years will continue their good-neighborly friendship and step up cooperation with the aim to enrich the contents of their friendship and to bring the bilateral relations to a new level of development in the new century.

General Secretary Jiang Zemin spoke highly of General Secretary Kim Jong Il's visit to China at an important historical junction of the turn of the century. He said Kim's visit is of great significance to the further increase of understanding, trust, friendship and cooperation between the two parties and the two countries, and to the further development of China-DPRK friendly relations in the new century.

Kim said he was delighted to visit China again following his last trip 17 years ago. He said that DPRK and China share traditional friendship and that the two sides should continue to promote the friendly relations pioneered by the older generation of leaders.

The two sides agreed that the tradition of meeting between leaders of the two parties and the two countries should continue. Jiang and Kim briefed each other on their respective country's political and economic situation. Jiang was very pleased to see the achievements made by the Korean people in building their country through hard and independent struggle under the leadership of the Worker's Party led by Kim Jong Il.

Jiang Zemin also expressed his sincere wishes that the DPRK score greater achievements in its economic construction, foreign relations and national reunification.

Kim said that DPRK is building a Korean-style socialism according to its specific national conditions while China is building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Kim noted that China has scored great achievements in its reform and opening to the outside world under the leadership of CPC Central Committee with Jiang Zemin at the core. China's comprehensive national power is being improved and its international status is rising as well, Kim said.

All that demonstrated that the policy of reform and opening to the outside world, which was initiated by Deng Xiaoping, is correct, and the Korean party and government support the policy, he said.

Meanwhile, Jiang said that although the international situation has changed profoundly, China will unswervingly continue with its independent foreign policy of peace, and develop friendly relations with countries across the world under the five principles of peaceful co-existence, and make joint efforts together with other countries to build a just and rational new international political and economic order.

On the situation in the Korean peninsula, Jiang said that as a close neighbor of the peninsula, China upholds the fundamental principle in handling affairs of the peninsula -- to work to help maintain peace and stability in the peninsula.

Jiang stressed that China supports the two sides in the north and south of the peninsula to independently realize peaceful reunification. China also hopes that the two sides improve their relationship, and China welcomes and supports a summit meeting between the two sides.

Kim Jong Il said that China has made a breakthrough on the road of national reunification after it smoothly resumed exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong and Macao. The Korean side is pleased with this and supports China's policy on the Taiwan issue, Kim said.

To help the DPRK overcome difficulty, China once again provided free assistance of grain and goods to the DPRK. The DPRK side expressed heart-felt gratitude for China's assistance at time of difficulty.

Chinese Vice-President Hu Jintao, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the talks.

Among those attending both talks and banquet were Qian Qichen, vice-premier and also member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Zeng Qinghong, alternate member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, Wang Gang, director of the General Office of CPC Central Committee, Dai Bingguo, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, Tang Jiaxuan, China's foreign minister, and Liu Huaqiu, minister in charge of the Central Foreign Affairs Office.

Wei Jianxing, member of the Standing Committee the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, Li Lanqing, vice-premier and member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Chi Haotian, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Jia Qinglin, member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee, attended the banquet.

DPRK guests attending the talks and banquet were Cho Myong Rok, first vice-chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, and director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army, Kim Yong Chun, member of the National Defence Commission and chief of the General of Staff of the Korean People's Army, Kim Guk Tae, secretary of the Secretariat of the Workers' Party of Korea, and Kim Yong Sun, secretary of the Secretariat of the Workers' Party of Korea, and other senior Korean officials.

Hu Jintao greeted Kim Jong Il upon his arrival. During his stay in China, Kim Jong Il also visited the Tian' anmen Rostrum and the Legend Group, a computer giant in China. Kim Jong Il expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the trip, and thanked the hosts for their warm reception.