Present there on invitation were members of the DPRK friendship delegation led by Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, and the delegation of the DPRK-China Friendship Association led by Choe Chang Sik, minister of Public Health, and Ambassador Ji Jae Ryong and staff members of the DPRK embassy in Beijing.

Jiang Shusheng, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress, Chen Haosu, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Song Tao, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Liu Jieyi, deputy head of the International Liaison Department of the C.C., Communist Party of China, and other officials concerned were on hand.

Speeches were made at the reception.

The vice-president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries noted that over 50 years after the conclusion of the treaty both sides have understood, supported and assisted with each other in the spirit of the treaty. In recent years the Sino-DPRK relations have made steady progress thanks to the care of top leaders of the two countries and joint efforts of their peoples.

China will, together with Korean comrades, continue to boost friendly exchange and cooperation between the two peoples in the spirit of inheriting tradition, facing up to the future and building good-neighborly friendship and strengthening cooperation, the speaker said.

The head of the DPRK friendship delegation in his speech referred to the successful historic visit to China by General Secretary Kim Jong Il in May. This fully displayed the fact that the DPRK-China friendship with long history and excellent traditions is still being given steady continuity, he added.

He said that the DPRK would, together with Chinese comrades, strive to strengthen cohesion and cooperation and jointly defend regional peace and security.