Xi Jinping, standing member of the Political Bureau of the C.C., the Communist Party of China and vice-president of the People's Republic of China, said this on Thursday when Ji Jae Ryong, DPRK ambassador to his country, paid a courtesy call on him.

He noted that Kim Jong Il visited China twice last year to meet with President Hu Jintao and reach an agreement of views on the bilateral relations and major issues of common concern. This year the leader received Meng Jianzhu, state councilor of China, on a visit to the DPRK and enjoyed together with officials of the Chinese embassy in Pyongyang a concert given by the Unhasu Orchestra on the 15th of January under the lunar calendar, he added.

It is the fixed strategic policy of the Chinese party and government to steadily develop the China-DPRK relations of neighborly friendship and cooperation, Xi said.

He hoped that the bilateral relations would further develop by maintaining exchange of high-level visits, deepening understanding of each other's strategic view and strengthening economic cooperation.