Present there on invitation were Choe Thae Bok, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Ri Kwang Ho, department director of the WPK Central Committee, Kim Thae Jong, vice department director of the WPK Central Committee, Kim Yong Il, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, and officials concerned.

Staff members of the embassy were present there.

Liu Xiaoming in a speech said that Kim Jong Il visited China to cordially meet General Secretary Hu Jintao and other leaders of the party and government, making a great contribution to the development of the relations between the two parties and countries.

Referring to the fact that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries have entered a new phase of development, he noted that this year marks the diamond jubilee of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries and is a year of Sino-Korean friendship.

He expressed the belief that events in the year of Sino-Korean friendship would successfully be held thanks to the deep concern and positive support of the top leaders and peoples of the two countries.

Choe Thae Bok in his speech recalled that leaders of the party and state of China warmly welcomed Kim Jong Il visiting China and accorded him warmest hospitality with utmost sincerity and made all efforts to ensure his successful visit.

The signal success and immortal feats Kim Jong Il performed by visiting China would shine forever along with the history, he stressed, expressing the belief that the DPRK-China friendship would grow stronger thanks to the joint efforts of the two parties and peoples this year, a year of DPRK-China friendship.