Present there were members of the WPK delegation, Choe Pyong Gwan, DPRK ambassador to China, Wang Jiarui, head of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the CPC, Liu Jieyi, deputy head of the department, and officials concerned.

Liu said that the China visit of the delegation proved that General Secretary Kim Jong Il attaches utmost importance to the traditional friendly relations between the CPC and the WPK.

Extending warm congratulations to the WPK on the successful holding of its conference on behalf of the Central Committee of the CPC, he stressed that Kim Jong Il's reelection as general secretary of the WPK was an expression of the unanimous will and desire of all the party members and people of the DPRK.

Noting that the Chinese people are rejoiced over the fact that the Korean people are accelerating the building of a thriving nation with hope and optimism about the future under the leadership of
Kim Jong Il, he wished the WPK steady greater success in its work for building Korean-style socialism, developing the relations between China and the DPRK, ensuring the people's well-being and preserving regional peace and stability.

Kim Jong Il visited China twice this year, injecting fresh vitality into the development of the bilateral relations, he stressed.

It is the steadfast policy of the Chinese party and government to steadily consolidate and develop the Sino-DPRK friendly and cooperative relations, he noted, adding that the CPC will boost the mutual cooperation and support, exchanging views on important international issues of common concern with the WPK.

Earlier, Choe Thae Bok met and had a talk with Wang Jiarui.