Present there on invitation were the Chinese delegation of artistes headed by Minister of Culture and Tourism Luo Shugang, Chinese ambassador to the DPRK Li Jinjun and his embassy officials.

Pak Kwang Ho and Ri Su Yong, members of the Political Bureau and vice-chairmen of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Pak Chun Nam, minister of Culture, officials concerned and artistes were on hand.

Pak Chun Nam in his speech at the reception warmly welcomed the Chinese artistes delegation which came here with the Chinese people's feelings of friendship. He said that the Korean people expect with great interest the performance of the famous artistes specially chosen and dispatched by the Chinese party and government.

He noted that the current visit of Chinese artistes after the one in last April will offer an important occasion in further strengthening the DPRK-China friendship and vigorously accelerating the cultural and artistic exchange between the two countries.

Luo Shugang said that the delegation's visit to the DPRK which is the practical embodiment of the important common understanding achieved by General Secretary Xi Jinping and Chairman Kim Jong Un at the historic summits would give an impetus to the development of the relations between the two parties and countries.

Luo Shugang said that the current visit to the DPRK by a Chinese delegation of the artistes, a practice of the important joint understanding achieved by General Secretary Xi Jinping and Chairman Kim Jong Un at the historic meetings, will bring a new motive force to the development of the two parties and the two countries.

It is the firm policy of the Chinese party and government to steadily consolidate and develop the China-DPRK friendship, he said, adding that the Chinese artistes would boost the traditional friendship and exchange with Korean comrades and thus positively promote the development of the relations between the two parties and the two countries.