国内英语新闻:Senior Chinese party official's visit highlights China-DPRK friendship

PYONGYANG, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Zhou Yongkang, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), concluded an official goodwill visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday, which indicated the latest developments of the China-DPRK friendship.

During his three-day stay in the DPRK, Zhou, a member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, met with DPRK top leader Kim Jong Il.

Zhou also observed a grand military parade and attended other events to celebrate the 65th birthday of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK).

Kim Jong Il (R), top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), meets with Zhou Yongkang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the CPC Central Committee, in Pyongyang, capital of the DPRK, Oct. 11, 2010.

CONVEYING CONGRATULATIONS

Upon his arrival in Pyongyang on Saturday, Zhou conveyed warm congratulations on the 65th anniversary of the WPK, which falls on Sunday.

Thanks to the careful nurturing of the two parties and the two peoples, the deeply rooted China-DPRK friendship had yielded many fruits, said Zhou, also secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Political and Legal Affairs.

Meanwhile, Hu Jintao, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, sent a congratulatory message to Kim, general secretary of the WPK, on the occasion.

The CPC highly cherishes the traditional China-DPRK friendship, and makes it an unswerving policy to continuously strengthen and develop bilateral friendly and cooperative ties, said Hu in his message.

"We are willing to make joint efforts with the DPRK side to continuously promote China-DPRK relations to a new and higher level," Hu said.

China and the DPRK have enjoyed a smooth development of bilateral relations in recent years and have a tradition of maintaining high-level contacts. Within this year, Kim has paid two unofficial visits to China, in May and August, respectively.

Zhou's visit came shortly after a landmark conference of the WPK on Sept. 28, at which Kim, who has served as general secretary of the WPK since October 1997, was re-elected.

Kim Jong Un, a son of Kim Jong Il, was appointed as one of the two vice-chairmen of the Central Military Commission, headed by Kim the senior.