Chi Haotian Meets DPRK People's Armed Forces Minister

Visiting Chinese Defense Minister Chi Haotian on Sunday held talks with Kim Il Chol, the People's Armed Forces minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), in Pyongyang.

Chi said that the a deep friendship has been forged between the Chinese people and the Korean people and between the armies of the two countries during their joint long-term struggle against foreign aggressions.

Chi, also vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of China, is a veteran during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953). He arrived here Sunday morning for a five-day official visit.

Chi noted that the friendly traditional relationship of cooperation between China and the DPRK has entered a new stage of development under the solicitude of Jiang Zemin, general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, and Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of the DPRK.

Terming the relationship between the two armies as "a vital part" of bilateral relations, he said, the two armies have been maintaining close contacts at all levels.

Chi stressed that the two countries should earnestly carry out common understandings reached by their leaders and continuously push forward the good relationship between the two countries and the two armies.

China has all along committed itself to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsular and support the improvement of relations between the North and the South of the peninsular and an independent and peaceful reunification of the two sides without foreign interference, he said.

He added that the issue of the peninsular should be eventually resolved through dialogues and consultations between the North and the South.

For his part, Kim Il Chol said that the DPRK is very glad to receive the high-level Chinese military delegation led by Chi on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Chinese People's Volunteers' entering the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea.

The visit shows that China highly values its friendly relationship with the DPRK, Kim Il Chol said.

He also briefed Chi on the situation on the Korean Peninsular, the relationship between the North and the South and the DPRK's domestic situation, and reiterated the DPRK's objection to the missile defense system being developed by the United States.



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