Present there on invitation were Liu Xiaoming, Chinese ambassador to the DPRK, and staff members of the embassy.

Pak Ui Chun, minister of Foreign Affairs, Kim Yong Il, vice minister of Foreign Affairs, and other officials of the ministry were present there.

Pak in his speech referred to the fact that the relations between the DPRK and China grew strong in various fields last year under the deep care of General Secretary Kim Jong Il and General Secretary Hu Jintao and the friendly feelings of the two peoples further deepened.

He expressed belief that the events to be held in "the year of DPRK-China friendship," the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, would help demonstrate the solidity of the bilateral friendship.

Liu Xiaoming said in his speech that the Sino-DPRK relations have been developed in different fields in 2008 under deep care of Hu Jintao and Kim Jong Il and joint efforts of the two sides.

He stressed the need to pool efforts to successfully hold friendship events as agreed upon by the top leaders of the two countries and bring about more beautiful future of the Sino-DPRK cooperative relations.