The congress is to be convened in a historic period when the effort of the Chinese people to build socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new landmark stage, the message said, and went on:

Over the past ten years since the 16th National Congress of the CPC the Chinese people have made great achievements in the effort to build harmonious socialism, reunify the whole country and defend the world peace by implementing the scientific outlook on development with Deng Xiaoping's theory and the important thought of "three represents" as the guidelines under the leadership of the CPC with Comrade Hu Jintao as general secretary.

We are rejoiced over the achievements made in China and firmly convinced that the fraternal Chinese people will continue registering good successes in the future, too, in carrying out the cause of inheriting tradition, hewing out the future and building a comprehensively well-off society, united close around the CPC.

It is the steadfast stand of the WPK to protect the traditional DPRK-China friendship provided and cultivated by the leaders of the elder generation of the two parties and countries and invariably develop it generation after generation.

We will as ever join the Chinese comrades in making positive efforts to put the traditional DPRK-China friendship, the common wealth of the two peoples, on a higher stage.

The WPK Central Committee sincerely wishes the 18th National Congress of the CPC satisfactory success, expressing conviction that the congress will mark a landmark occasion in the work to strengthen the CPC and promote the great prosperity of the Chinese nation.