Pyongyang, September 29 (KCNA) -- The Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and the Central Committee of the DPRK-China Friendship Association jointly hosted a reception at Chongryu Restaurant on Thursday to mark the 62nd birthday of the People's Republic of China.

Charge d' affaires ad interim Guan Huabing and staff members of the Chinese embassy here, Chinese students and guests staying in the DPRK were present there on invitation.

Present there were Minister of Public Health Choe Chang Sik, chairman of the Central Committee of the DPRK-China Friendship Association, Hong Son Ok, vice-chairwoman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, Deputy General Director of the General Bureau for Service for People Jon Chun Sik, vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the DPRK-China Friendship Association, and officials concerned.

Choe Chang Sik said in his speech at the reception that the founding of the People's Republic of China was a historic event which brought about an epochal turn in the Chinese people's life.

The Chinese people have striven hard to implement a scientific outlook on development, protect social stability and build a harmonious socialist society under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, he added.

Choe expressed the will to make efforts to boost the traditional DPRK-China friendly and cooperative relations in line with the spirit of the agreement reached between the top leaders of the two countries in the future, too.

Guan Huabing said that the Communist Party of China led all nationalities and built new China, overcoming all ordeals and difficulties.

The historic China visits paid by General Secretary Kim Jong Il several times put the friendly and cooperative relations of the two countries onto a new stage, he said, stressing that the Sino-DPRK relations are steadily developing under the care of the top leaders of the two countries.

He wished the Korean people greater successes in socialist construction with single-minded unity and fortitude under the leadership of the WPK.