Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Kim Jong Il, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), held talks here on Monday and reached important consensus on China-DPRK relations and the promotion of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.

Premier Wen extended sincere greetings and best wishes to Kim on behalf of Chinese President Hu Jintao.

The hard-earned friendship and friendly cooperative relations achieved by the joint efforts of several generations of the two countries conform to the aspiration of the two peoples, Wen said, adding that the two nations should pass on the friendship from generation to generation.

China is willing to work with the DPRK to maintain high-level exchanges, deepen pragmatic cooperation, strengthen coordination on major issues, and push forward the good-neighborly and friendly cooperative relations, he added.

Kim asked Wen to relay his greetings to Chinese President Hu.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) shakes hands with Kim Jong Il, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), during a meeting in Pyongyang, capital of the DPRK, Oct. 5, 2009. (XINHUA)

Kim said Wen's official goodwill visit, which coincided with the 60th anniversary of the DPRK-China ties and the China-DPRK Friendship Year, demonstrates the importance that China has attached to developing ties with the DPRK.

The celebrations from both sides have been successful and enhanced the DPRK-China traditional friendship, Kim said.

The DPRK is ready to make joint efforts with China to further consolidate and strengthen the DPRK-China friendly, cooperative relations, Kim said.

Realizing a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula was the instruction of the late DPRK leader Kim Il Sung and the DPRK's commitment to realizing the denuclearization of the peninsula remains unchanged, Kim said.

Through the DPRK-U.S. bilateral meeting, the hostile relations between the two countries must turn into peaceful ones, he said.

The DPRK is willing to attend multilateral talks, including the six-party talks, based on the progress in the DPRK-U.S. talks, he said.

Wen said China appreciated the DPRK's commitment to the nuke-free peninsula and the multilateral dialogues, including the six-party talks, to realizing this goal.

Wen said China is willing to make concerted efforts with the DPRK and other parties concerned to contribute to realizing the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and maintaining peace, stability and development in the Northeast Asian region.

(Xinhua News Agency October 6, 2009)