Present there on invitation were a vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, a vice-minister of Railways, He Jung, assistant to the head of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Wu Donghe, chairman of the Sino-Korea Friendship Association, and other officials concerned.

Present there were Ambassador Choe Pyong Gwan and staff members of the DPRK embassy in Beijing.

The ambassador said in his speech at the reception that since the foundation of the DPRK its people have built a socialist land of bliss, independent in politics, self-supporting in economy and self-reliant in national defence, under the uplifted banner of the Juche idea and firmly defended the sovereignty and dignity of the country and the nation, greatly contributing to protecting the peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, the rest of Northeast Asia and the world.

The China visit paid by General Secretary Kim Jong Il in August after his visit to China in last May marked a great event of landmark significance in the history of the friendly relations between the DPRK and China, he said, reiterating the DPRK's positive efforts to further deepen the friendly relations between the two countries as required by the present century.

The vice-minister of Foreign Affairs of China said in a speech that the Korean people have registered steady successes in their vigorous drive to build a thriving nation under the guidance of the Workers' Party of Korea headed by General Secretary Kim Jong Il, adding that China is sincerely rejoiced over them. He wished the Korean people fresh greater successes in all fields.

The traditional Sino-DPRK friendship personally provided and fostered by the leaders of the elder generation of the two countries stood the test and has become precious assets common to the two parties, the two countries and the two peoples, he noted, stressing that the Chinese people would join the Korean comrades in the efforts to further strengthen the exchange and cooperation in various domains in the spirit of "inheriting the tradition, facing up to the future, building good-neighborly friendship and strengthening cooperation" and thus steadily boost the bilateral relations.