Present there were Ri Ryong Nam, DPRK ambassador to China, and his embassy members, Song Tao, head of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee, Guo Yezhou, its deputy head, and other officials of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee.

Speeches were made there.

Ri Ryong Nam said that the China visit by the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un and the DPRK visit by General Secretary Xi Jinping were historic events which markedly demonstrated to the world the unshakable will of the top leaders of the two parties to firmly join hands with each other in the struggle for independence, justice and socialism by inheriting the great history and traditions of the DPRK-China friendship.

He noted that it is the consistent stand of our Party and people to value the relations of DPRK-China friendship and dynamically advance the cause of socialism by dint of its might.

He expressed the belief that the relations of DPRK-China friendship would grow strong in conformity with the aspirations, desires and basic interests of the peoples of the two countries this year marking the 60th anniversary of the conclusion of the DPRK-China Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance.

Song Tao said that the historic mutual visits made by the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the DPRK helped inject new energy and vitality into the traditional China-DPRK friendly relations.

The top leaders of the two countries played an important strategic leading role in preserving the common interests of the two sides and global peace as guides and pillars for developing the China-DPRK relations, he noted, adding that the peoples of the two countries would successfully defend, consolidate and develop the China-DPRK relations, true to the noble intentions of the top leaders.

Calling for providing the peoples of the two countries with greater happiness and making a tangible contribution to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity by putting the common understanding reached by the top leaders of the two countries into practice, he sincerely hoped that the China-DPRK friendship would be carried forward permanently generation after generation.

A reception was given by the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee that day.