Pyongyang, December 27 (KCNA) -- Xu Caihou, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited the DPRK embassy in Beijing on Dec. 27 to express condolences on the demise of leader Kim Jong Il.

He was accompanied by Liang Guanglie, member of the Central Military Commission of China, state councilor and minister of National Defense, Li Jinai, member of the Central Military Commission of the CPC and director of the General Political Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of General Staff of the CPLA, and Qian Lihua, director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Ministry of National Defense, and others.

Wreaths were laid before the portrait of Kim Jong Il in the name of the Central Military Commission of China, the Ministry of National Defense, the General Staff, the General Political Department, the General Logistics Department, the General Armament Department, the navy and air force of the CPLA.

They bowed three times before the portrait of Kim Jong Il, expressing profound condolences.

Xu Caihou did not keep back his sorrow over the demise of Kim Jong Il.

He expressed the most profound and sincere condolences to the Korean people and the officers and men of the Korean People's Army on behalf of all officers and men of the CPLA. He added:

Comrade Kim Jong Il was the great leader of the party, state and army of the DPRK and a close friend of the Chinese people and army.

The Chinese people and army will always remember him.

The CPLA will, together with the KPA, make positive efforts to consolidate and develop the traditional friendly and cooperative ties between the two countries and armies and defend the peace and security of the region and the world, true to the noble intentions of the top leaders of the two countries in the future, too.