Pyongyang, September 23 (KCNA) -- A reception was given by Liu Hongcai, Chinese ambassador to the DPRK, at Yanggakdo International Hotel on Friday to mark the 62nd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Present there on invitation were Pak Ui Chun, foreign minister of the DPRK, Kim Song Nam, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Pak Jae Gyong, vice-minister of the People's Armed Forces, Han Chol, vice-minister of Culture, Jong Jin Song, vice-chairman of the Committee for Joint Venture and Investment of the DPRK, Hong Son Ok, vice-chairwoman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and others, diplomatic envoys of various countries and representatives of international organizations here.

Present there were staff members of the Chinese embassy and Chinese students studying in the DPRK.

Liu Hongcai made a speech at the reception.

He said that several visits paid by General Secretary Kim Jong Il to China have contributed to boosting the Sino-DPRK friendship.

The whole party and nation and all people are waging a dynamic struggle to fling open to the gate of a thriving nation in the DPRK, he noted.

He sincerely wished the Korean people greater successes in the struggle to develop the economy, improve the standard of people's living and build a thriving nation under the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea headed by Kim Jong Il.

Pak Ui Chun spoke next.

He hoped that the Chinese people marking the 62nd national day and the centenary of the 1911 Revolution would register greater successes in carrying out the tasks of this year, the first year of the 12th five-year plan, under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party.

He said that a series of visits to China paid by leader Kim Jong Il would always go down in the history of the DPRK-China friendship as they marked historic events in fully demonstrating the unbreakable friendship and consolidating the friendly ties between the people of the two countries.

He expressed belief that the DPRK-China friendly and cooperative relations would vitally develop in line with the desire and wishes of the parties, governments and peoples of the two countries thanks to the concerted efforts of the two sides in the future, too.