国内英语新闻:President Hu holds talks with DPRK top leader Kim Jong Il

BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks last Friday with top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Il in Changchun, capital city of northeast China' s Jilin Province.

Kim, general secretary of the Worker' s Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the DPRK National Defense Commission, paid an unofficial visit to China from August 26 to 30 at the invitation of Hu, also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Hu said that at present, China and the DPRK are increasing vigorous exchange and cooperation in various fields, among various departments and between provinces along the borders. The two sides have maintained close communication and coordination on issues of the Korean Peninsula and the region.

Hu said China is ready to work with the DPRK to carefully safeguard and develop friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries.

During the talks, Hu put forward three proposals for further strengthening relations between the CPC and the WPK and between the two countries.

Firstly, the two sides should maintain high-level contact, which is of great significance to continuously pushing forward the development of the China-DPRK links. Leaders of the two sides should continue to maintain regular communication in various forms.

Secondly, the two sides should advance trade and economic cooperation. Expanding and deepening mutually beneficial and win-win trade and economic cooperation is in the basic interests of the two peoples. China is ready to grow trade and economic cooperation on the principles of government guidance with enterprises playing a major role, market operation, and mutual benefits for win-win results.

Thirdly, the two sides should strengthen strategic communication. Since the regional and international situation is undergoing profound and complicated changes, prompt, thorough and in-depth communication between China and the DPRK on major issues is of critical importance to effectively maintaining peace and stability in the Northeast Asia region and to promoting common development.