Present there on invitation were the members of the art troupe headed by Deputy Director Song Kun, Liu Xiaoming, Chinese ambassador to the DPRK, and staff members of his embassy.

Present there were Kim Yong Nam, Kim Il Chol, Choe Thae Bok, Ro Tu Chol, Kang Nung Su, Choe Chang Sik, Jong Thae Gun, Kim Yong Il and officials concerned, creators and artistes.

Kang Nung Su, minister of Culture, said in his speech made at the reception that the performance of the Chinese modern dance drama "A song in praise of Hongmei" in Pyongyang is a clear expression of the close friendly relations between the artistes and other people of the two countries.

Kang referred to the fact that the DPRK-China friendship provided by President Kim Il Sung together with revolutionaries of the elder generation of China has grown stronger day by day under the deep care of the top leaders of the two countries.

He emphasized that the DPRK would make positive efforts together with the comrades of China to boost the bilateral exchange and cooperation in the field of culture and arts in the future, too.

Song Kun in his speech said that this year marked the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the DPRK. He referred to the great achievements made by the Korean people in various fields by displaying the revolutionary spirit of self-reliance and fortitude, firmly rallied around the Workers' Party of Korea for the past 60 years.

He was firmly convinced that the diligent and brave Korean people would make greater successes in building a great prosperous powerful nation under the leadership of the WPK headed by General Secretary Kim Jong Il.

Saying that the traditional China-DPRK friendship provided by the leaders of the elder generation of the two countries is a common precious treasure deeply rooted in the minds of the peoples of the two countries, he added that they would make positive efforts to strengthen the China-DPRK friendly and cooperative relations.