Chinese Defense Minister Meets DPRK GuestChinese Defense Minister Chi Haotian met in Beijing Saturday with Kim Il Chol, minister of the People's Armed Forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).Chi, also vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and a State Councilor, said that China and the DPRK are good neighbors, and their peoples and armed forces have forged deep friendship in the long process of socialist revolution and construction. He said that Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers' Party and chairman of DPRK's National Defense Commission, paid an unofficial visit to China in May at the invitation of the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) Central Committee and President Jiang Zemin. The two sides exchanged views on furthering the relations between the two states and between the Korean Workers' Party and the CPC, the international and regional situation and other major issues of common concern, and reached consensus Chi said the development of China-DPRK relations conforms to the fundamental interest and common aspiration of the two peoples, and benefits regional and global peace and stability. Kim Il Chol said that the DPRK and China have enjoyed long-term friendship, which will continue to develop with the support of the leadership of the two countries. Chi extended congratulations on the successful meeting between the heads of the DPRK and the Republic of Korea (ROK). China has always held that reunification of the Korean peninsular should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation by the parties concerned, said Chi. He expressed the belief that the meeting will be conducive to the peace and stability of the Korea peninsular. |
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