Pyongyang, September 8 (KCNA) -- The DPRK embassy in Beijing gave a reception on Wednesday to celebrate the 63rd birthday of the DPRK.

Present there on invitation were a vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, a vice-minister of Railways, a vice-director of the War Theory and Strategic Research of the Academy of Military Sciences of the People's Liberation Army of China, Wu Donghe, chairman of the China-Korea Friendship Association, and other officials concerned.

Ambassador Ji Jae Ryong and staff members of the DPRK embassy in Beijing were present there.

Speeches were made at the reception.

Ji Jae Ryong said the Korean people look back with deep emotion on the path of shining victories covered by the DPRK for over six decades, weathering all sorts of trials and difficulties under the wise leadership of President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

He reiterated his will to join the Chinese comrades in making joint efforts to boost the DPRK-China friendship provided by the leaders of the elder generation in all fields including politics, military affairs, economy and culture true to the noble intention of the top leaders of the two countries in the future, too.

The vice-minister of Foreign Affairs of China said that the founding of the DPRK opened a chapter in a new era in which the Korean people became an independent people to build a thriving socialist nation.

He went on:

Kim Jong Il visited China four times last year and this year. The top leaders of the two countries reached a lot of common understandings, putting the Sino-Korea relations on a new high stage and deepening the exchange and cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

It is the invariable strategic policy of the party and the government of China to steadily boost the Sino-DPRK friendly and cooperative relations, he noted, affirming the will to join the DPRK side in steadily developing the Sino-DPRK relations in the spirit of inheriting the tradition, facing up to the future, building good-neighborly friendship and strengthening cooperation.