On January 23, 2007, the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK held a New Year reception for the diplomats of the Chinese Embassy in DPRK at the Go Bang San Hotel.

[DPRK women's singers are singing a Chinese song "Nanniwan"]

Kim Yong Il, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK, was the first to deliver a speech. He said, in recent years, the traditional friendly relations between DPRK and China have been consolidated and developed. This is of great significance to the maintenance of peace and stability in the region. The DPRK side is ready, together with the Chinese side, to continue to propel the development of the relations of friendship and cooperation between DPRK and China, making it full of vitality and vigour. He believed that the friendly relations between DPRK and China will, with the care of top leaders of the two countries, continue to be strengthened and developed in accordance with the requirements of the new century. The Vice-Minister also spoke highly of the achievements scored by the Chinese people in the cause of building a socialist harmonious society and realizing the reunification of their motherland.

In response, Ambassador Liu Xiaoming said that he is pleased to see the relations between China and DPRK have made headway in the past year. With the joint efforts of the two sides, the leaders of the two countries have maintained the momentum of mutual visits and communication. The cooperation between the two sides in the fields of economy, trade, education and physical culture has seen new advances. It is the firm policy of the Chinese Party and Government to consolidate and develop the relations between China and the DPRK. The Chinese side is ready  to work with the DPRK side to strengthen the bilateral relations. Ambassador Liu heartily wished the DPRK people greater successes in the cause of building their own country.

[Korean officials singing a DPRK song 'Song of Comrades' ]

Along with the process of the reception, DPRK young girls beat racked drums, played piano and electronic guitar and sang Chinese song 'Nanniwan'.

Following this, the DPRK diplomats sang joyously in a loud voice. The 'Song of comrades' sung in a low, deep and sonorous voice. And the song 'Night at military port' resulted in our nostalgia for home as if we were bathing in a sea breeze.

[A Chinese female diplomat sing a solo a DPRK ballad 'The Peak of Peony'.]

The Chinese diplomats were also in high spirits. 'The Peak of Peony' was sung in a voice of enormous implicit richness, making the audience indulging in reveries about picturesque scenery of the Peak of Peony. The DPRK songs 'DPRK is a whole' and 'My motherland' made the public sentiment running high with incessant applause. A newly married couple of Chinese diplomats sang a famous DPRK love song 'My love'. A DPRK comrade said, the sweet song sung with profound feeling evoked wonderful memories of the days when we were young. The sound of singing is melodious, rising one after another. The banqueting hall became a platform for the Chinese and DPRK diplomats to sing praises of their friendship, foster their feelings and display their talents.

[ Ambassador Liu (left) and Vice-Foreign Minister Kim (right) sing together the Chinese song 'Sing praises of our motherland']

When Ambassador Liu and Vice Foreign Minister Kim jointly sang the Chinese song 'Sing praises of our motherland', the whole hall responded with warm applause. Finally, the Chinese diplomats and Korean officials sang in a chorus 'The blue sky of our motherland' and 'Song of the Yangtze River', pushing the atmosphere of the banquet to a climax.

[The Chinese and DPRK diplomats sing in unison 'Song of the Yangtze River']