Present there on invitation were members of the Chinese high-ranking military delegation headed by Col. General Guo Boxiong, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China, the delegation of veteran fighters of the CPV and the Art Troupe of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Liu Hongcai, Chinese ambassador to the DPRK, and staff members of his embassy and Chinese guests staying in the DPRK.

Present there were Choe Yong Rim, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, Kim Yong Chun, vice-chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and minister of the People's Armed Forces, Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, Kim Yong Il, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Ri Yong Su, department director of the C.C., the WPK, Choe Chang Sik, minister of Public Health who doubles as chairman of the C.C., the DPRK-China Friendship Association, Kim Jong Suk, chairperson of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and officials concerned.

Yang Hyong Sop said in a speech at the banquet that the armies and peoples of the two countries beat back the U.S. imperialists' aggression and won a great victory by displaying matchless bravery and popular heroism.

The DPRK-China friendship is making comprehensive and dynamic progress in various fields, he noted.

The two visits to China paid by General Secretary Kim Jong Il this year marked a landmark event in putting the traditional DPRK-China friendly and cooperative relations on a higher stage, he said, adding that the DPRK would join the Chinese comrades in strengthening and developing the DPRK-China friendly relations in the future, too.

Liu Hongcai said in his speech that the peoples and armies of the two countries have steadily developed the Sino-DPRK friendship provided by Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai together with President Kim Il Sung.

He stressed that the Sino-DPRK friendship which has grown strong standing all tests has reached a new stage, demonstrating its great vitality as days go by.

He referred to the fact that General Secretary Kim Jong Il visited China twice this year and met with General-Secretary Hu Jintao, developing the Sino-DPRK relations on a higher stage.

He noted that China would join hands with the Korean comrades and strive to carry forward and develop the traditional Sino-DPRK friendship provided by the revolutionaries of the elder generation, carve out future and achieve regional and world peace, prosperity and development.