President Hu Jintao Wednesday met with a delegation of the Workers' Party of Korea of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), headed by Choe Thae Bok, secretary of the Party's Central Committee.

Hu, also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), welcomed the delegation's visit to China on behalf of the CPC Central Committee.

He said, since the two countries established diplomatic ties 60 years ago, China-DPRK relations have weathered the tests of international vicissitudes and been further consolidated and developed.

In the new century, top leaders of both countries have attached great importance to bilateral ties, which have thus gained new vigor and vitality, he said.

In particular, the celebrations and exchange activities marking the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations and the China-DPRK friendship year, have helped deepen traditional friendship, expand mutual-beneficial cooperation, and the cooperative friendly relations have been pushed to a new level, Hu said.

He said the friendship between China and the DPRK, which was established and carefully fostered by leaders of older generations, has been precious wealth for the two peoples and "it is our shared responsibility and mission to continuously consolidate and develop the friendship."

"The CPC and Chinese government attach great importance to China-DPRK relations, and we are willing to work with DPRK comrades to push the cooperative friendship to a new level," he said.

The two sides should work hard to maintain regional peace and stability, and promote common development and prosperity, Hu said.

Choe said thanks to the care and efforts of top leaders, the political foundations of bilateral ties have been consolidated in the past 60 years and new achievement has been made in all fields.

The development of DPRK-China relations has enhanced the socialism construction in both countries and made great contribution to maintaining global and regional peace, he said.

The DPRK side highly values the constructive role that China has played in international and regional affairs, he said.

Choe stressed that it is a firm belief of the DPRK to promote the traditional friendship with China.

He also congratulated the Chinese people for the achievement in building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

(Xinhua News Agency October 28, 2009)