Present at the banquet on invitation were Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the C.C., WPK, vice-chairman of the DPRK State Affairs Commission and vice-chairman of the C.C., WPK; Pak Pong Ju, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the C.C., WPK, vice-chairman of the DPRK State Affairs Commission and premier of the Cabinet; Ri Su Yong, Kim Yong Chol and Pak Thae Song, members of the Political Bureau and vice-chairmen of the C.C., WPK; Ri Yong Ho, member of the Political Bureau of the C.C., WPK and minister of Foreign Affairs; No Kwang Chol, alternate member of the Political Bureau of the C.C., WPK and minister of the People's Armed Forces; and other officials accompanying Kim Jong Un, Supreme Leader of the party, state and army of the DPRK, and suite members and Ji Jae Ryong, DPRK ambassador to China, and his embassy officials.

Attending it were Li Keqiang, premier of the PRC State Council, and Wang Huning, member of the CPC Central Committee Secretariat, who are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the C.C., CPC; Wang Qishan, vice-president of the PRC; Ding Xuexiang, member of the Political Bureau, member of the Secretariat and director of the General Office of the C.C., CPC; Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the C.C., CPC and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the C.C., CPC; Guo Shengkun, member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee of the C.C., CPC; Huang Kunming, member of the Political Bureau, member of the Secretariat and head of the Publicity Department of the C.C., CPC; Cai Qi, member of the Political Bureau of the C.C., CPC and secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC; Wang Yi, state councilor and minister of Foreign Affairs; Song Tao, head of the International Liaison

Department of the C.C., CPC; and other senior officials of the Chinese party and government.

Kim Jong Un and his wife Ri Sol Ju entered Jinsedating, the banquet hall, guided by Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan.

Prior to the banquet, its participants watched a video on the three historic meetings of the top leaders of the two parties and two countries.

At the banquet Xi Jinping made a congratulatory speech and Kim Jong Un made a reply speech.

Xi Jinping warmly welcomed Kim Jong Un's China visit, saying that this fully showed his fixed will to attach great importance to the strengthened strategic communication between the two parties of China and the DPRK and develop the traditional friendship of the two countries and demonstrated to the whole world the invincibility of the relations between the two parties and two countries.

After Chairman Kim Jong Un's China visit in March, the China-DPRK relations have entered a new phase of development and the important joint agreements of both sides are being implemented one by one and the China-DPRK relations of friendship and cooperation are in new vigor, Xi Jinping stated.

Noting that Kim Jong Un has made great efforts to protect peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula by leading the Korean people and further consolidated the trend of dialogue and detente on the peninsula, Xi Jinping said he is pleased to see it and highly appreciates it.

He affirmed that China and the DPRK would learn, consult, unite and cooperate with each other as close friends and comrades to jointly open up rosier and beautiful future of the socialist cause in the two countries.

Kim Jong Un said he is very glad to meet again Xi Jinping and other close Chinese comrades at the time when a new historic current is being created in the Korean Peninsula and the region with the successful DPRK-U.S. summit. He expressed heartfelt thanks to Xi Jinping for his cordial hospitality despite the pressure of work.

Saying the picture of the DPRK and China sharing joy and sorrow and sincerely helping and cooperating with each other like family members clearly demonstrates at home and abroad that the relations between the two parties and two countries are developing into the unprecedentedly special relationship beyond the traditional ties, Kim Jong Un stated that he would make every possible effort to steadily develop the DPRK-China friendly relations onto a new high level, valuing affinity and affection forged with Xi Jinping.

He said that he would closely cooperate with the Chinese comrades at the same staff in the historic journey of defending socialism and opening up a new future of the Korean Peninsula and the region, and fully discharge his responsibility and role to protect genuine peace.

He expressed the belief and expectation that the Chinese people would surely realize the dream of China called the great prosperity of China in the near future under the leadership of Xi Jinping and the Communist Party of China.

An art performance specially prepared by Chinese artistes was given to welcome Kim Jong Un's historic China visit.

Kim Jong Un conveyed a floral basket to the performers on their excellent performance.

Kim Jong Un and his wife Ri Sol Ju together with Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan mounted the stage to express thanks for the enthusiasm and efforts of the artistes who prepared the art performance with sincerity, and had a photo session with them.

Kim Jong Un expressed thanks to the Chinese party and government for their special care and warm hospitality.