Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, addresses the opening ceremony of the "China-DPRK Friendship Year" at the East Pyongyang Grand Theater in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), April 12, 2024. Zhao Leji and Choe Ryong-hae, a member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, held talks and attended the opening ceremony of the "China-DPRK Friendship Year" from April 11 to 12. [Xinhua/Liu Weibing]

PYONGYANG -- Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, and Choe Ryong-hae, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), jointly attended the opening ceremony of the "China-DPRK Friendship Year" on Friday.

Zhao, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and Choe, a member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), attended the event at the East Pyongyang Grand Theater.

China and the DPRK are socialist and friendly neighbors linked by mountains and rivers, and as close as lips and teeth, Zhao said.

Calling General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping and WPK General Secretary Kim Jong-un helmsmen steering the boat, drawing the blueprint and charting the course of the development of China-DPRK relations, Zhao said the top leaders set the fundamental guidance and inject inexhaustible impetus into bilateral ties.

China is ready to work with the DPRK to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries, promote traditional friendship, deepen strategic mutual trust and enhance exchanges and cooperation, so as to jointly write a new chapter of the China-DPRK friendship, Zhao said.

Choe said that as the top leaders of both parties and both countries have put the DPRK-China relations of the new era on a new strategic height, the friendship bonds between the two countries have remained unshakable and become even firmer.

By taking the opportunity of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the "DPRK-China Friendship Year," the DPRK is willing to join hands with China to strengthen and develop the DPRK-China friendly cooperation, thus embarking on a new journey of vigorous development of the friendship between the two countries, he said.

After the event, Zhao and Choe watched together a performance by art troupes from the two countries.

On Friday morning, Zhao presented a floral basket to the China-DPRK Friendship Tower in tribute to the tremendous feats of the martyrs of the Chinese People's Volunteers. He also paid a visit to the Kangdong General Greenhouse Farm.

During their talks on Thursday, Zhao told Choe that the China-DPRK traditional friendship was forged and cultivated by the elder generations of leaders of both parties and both countries.

General Secretary Xi has repeatedly said that the CPC and the Chinese government attach great importance to the traditional friendly cooperation between the two countries, and that it is China's unwavering strategy to safeguard, solidify and develop bilateral relations, Zhao said.

Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and the DPRK, he said General Secretary Xi and WPK General Secretary Kim have exchanged New Year congratulatory messages, and jointly designated 2024 as the "China-DPRK Friendship Year" and launched a series of activities.

China is ready to work with the DPRK to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of both parties and both countries, and take the "China-DPRK Friendship Year" as an opportunity to intensify high-level exchanges, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, promote people-to-people exchanges and strengthen strategic coordination, so as to move forward China-DPRK relations, Zhao said.

Exchanges between legislative bodies have been an important part of China-DPRK relations and long played a positive role in deepening bilateral ties, Zhao said.

China is ready to intensify legislative exchanges and cooperation with the DPRK to lift China-DPRK traditional friendly cooperation to a higher level, he said.

Choe said the blood-cemented friendship between the two countries has a long history and profound foundation, and is the common precious heritage and wealth of the two countries.

Under the strategic guidance of General Secretary Kim and General Secretary Xi, DPRK-China friendly relations have entered a new era, which strongly demonstrates the vitality and unbreakability of bilateral ties, he said.

The DPRK is willing to work with China to follow the guidance of the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, and take the opportunity of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the "Friendship Year" to develop the DPRK-China traditional friendship, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and push for further development of DPRK-China friendly cooperation, he said.

After the talks, they witnessed the signing of cooperation documents in the fields including reciprocal exemption of diplomatic and service visas, translation and publication of classical literatures, customs quarantine, radio and television, and postal delivery. 

Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, and Choe Ryong-hae, a member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), pose for a group photo with artists of art troupes from both countries after watching their performance in Pyongyang, the DPRK, April 12, 2024. Zhao Leji and Choe Ryong-hae held talks and attended the opening ceremony of the "China-DPRK Friendship Year" from April 11 to 12. [Xinhua/Zhang Ling]

Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, visits the Kangdong General Greenhouse Farm in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), April 12, 2024. Zhao Leji and Choe Ryong-hae, a member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, held talks and attended the opening ceremony of the "China-DPRK Friendship Year" from April 11 to 12. [Xinhua/Liu Weibing]

Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, presents a floral basket to the China-DPRK Friendship Tower in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), April 12, 2024. Zhao Leji and Choe Ryong-hae, a member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, held talks and attended the opening ceremony of the "China-DPRK Friendship Year" from April 11 to 12. [Xinhua/Liu Weibing]