Pyongyang, October 24 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the C.C., Workers' Party of Korea and president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, met and had a friendly talk with Li Keqiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the C.C., Communist Party of China and vice-premier of the State Council of China, on Monday when the latter paid a courtesy call on him at the Mansudae Assembly Hall.

Present there were You Quan, deputy secretary-general of the State Council, Zhang Zhijun, executive vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Chen Yuan, managing director of the China Development Bank, Liu Hongcai, Chinese ambassador to the DPRK, Liu Jieyi, deputy head of the International Liaison Department of the C.C., CPC, Liu Tienan, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Committee, Chen Jian, vice-minister of Commerce, Ning Jizhe, deputy director of the Policy Research Office of the State Council, and other suite members.

Kang Sok Ju, member of the Political Bureau of the C.C., WPK and vice-premier of the Cabinet, Kim Yong Il, alternate member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the C.C., WPK, Kim Song Gi, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Ku Pon Thae, vice-minister of Foreign Trade, and officials concerned.

Li Keqiang said the Sino-DPRK friendship which stood the test of history is a common treasure for the peoples of the two countries.

This friendship, provided and cultivated by the revolutionaries of the elder generation, is now developing at a new higher stage, he said, and continued:

A series of China visits paid by General Secretary Kim Jong Il and his historic meetings with General Secretary Hu Jintao marked historic events in developing the bilateral relations onto a new higher stage.

I am pleased with the great successes made by the Korean people in socialist construction.

The Chinese party and government attach utmost importance to the Sino-DPRK friendship.

We will make efforts to boost the relations of friendship and cooperation between our two parties and the peoples of our two countries.

We heartily wish the Korean people greater success in economic construction and in the efforts to improve the standard of people's living, Li said.