(Hu Jintao holds talks with Kim Jong Il)

 

At the invitation of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) & President of the People's Republic of China Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) & Chairman of the National Defense Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Il paid an unofficial visit to China from January 10 to 18 and surveyed Hubei, Guangdong, Beijing and other provinces and cities.

During the stay in Beijing, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee & President Hu Jintao held talks with General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) & Chairman of the National Defense Commission of the DPRK Kim Jong Il and held a welcome banquet for Kim. Hu also accompanied Kim to visit the Institute for Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS). Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee & Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Wu Bangguo and Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee & Premier of the State Council Wen Jiabao met respectively with Kim. The Members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee including Jia Qinglin, Zeng Qinghong, Huang Ju, Wu Guanzheng, Li Changchun and Luo Gang accompanied Kim respectively to visit or participate in related activities.

During the talks, the leaders of both parties and countries exchanged in-depth views in a warm and candid atmosphere on furthering their relations, as well as international and regional issues of common interest and reached important and broad consensus.

On behalf of the Chinese party, government and people, Hu warmly welcomed Kim's visit to China. He said that the close exchanges between the top leaders of the two parties and countries are an important feature in bilateral relations of good-neighborly friendship. Since Comrade Kim took office as WPK General Secretary, the leaders of both sides have exchanged visits a couple of times and each visit was fruitful. Under the situation in which the current international and regional situations have undergone profound and complex changes, to further push for in-depth development of relations between both parties and countries conforms to common interest of the two countries, as well as peace, stability and development of Northeast Asia.

Hu indicated that in recent years under joint efforts of both sides, the relations between the two parties and countries have made new headway and both sides have scored new results in mutually beneficial cooperation in the economic and trade area and maintained close consultations and cooperation on international and regional issues. The traditional friendship between both sides is precious common treasure of the two parties, countries and peoples and it is an unswerving strategic policy of the Chinese party and government to consolidate and develop bilateral cooperative relations of good-neighborly friendship. Hu emphasized that China would like to make joint efforts with the DPRK to inject new vigor and vitality into bilateral traditional friendship, push for further in-depth development of cooperative relations of good-neighborly friendship, bring more benefits to the two countries and peoples and make greater contributions to peace, stability and prosperity of Northeast Asia and the world at large.

Kim thanked for Hu's cordial invitation and warm reception and was very delighted with meeting Hu again not long after their meeting in Pyongyang last October. Kim said that bilateral relations were personally created and cultivated by the older generations of leaderships of both sides and have been further promoted under the new situation. The friendly relations between both sides have not only pushed for their respective cause of building socialism, but also promoted peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and the world at large. The WPK and government of the DPRK will as always further tap cooperation potential in all areas especially in the economic field, conduct cooperation in the principle of supplying each other's needs and mutual benefits and do their utmost to push for greater development of bilateral friendship.

Hu made positive comments on domestic development of the DPRK. He said that the Chinese party, government and people sincerely hope to see political stability, economic prosperity and people's happiness in the DPRK and are delighted with its achievements in the cause of building a powerful and prosperous country. China will as always support the party, government and people of the DPRK to actively explore a development road suitable to its national conditions and believes that under the leadership of General Secretary Kim, the whole party and nation of the DPRK will unite closely and wage an arduous struggle to score new achievements in the cause of building a strong and prosperous country.

Kim said that under the leadership of the CPC, China has made enormous achievements in the socialist modernization drive with Chinese characteristics and the cause of reform and opening up. China's "amazing development" is attributed to the fact that the lines and policies proposed by the CPC including the important idea of "three represents", the scientific concept of development and the proposition on building a harmonious socialist society conform to China's national conditions. During his visit, Kim and his delegation witnessed brilliant achievements that the cities in the southern part of China, especially the special economic zones have scored in various areas. China's entirely new look and dynamic development deeply impressed them. This fully proves the correctness of China's reform and opening up policy. The party, government and people of the DPRK are sincerely delighted with and would like to express congratulations on these achievements. The DPRK firmly believes that under the leadership of the CPC with Comrade Hu as General Secretary, the diligent Chinese people will surely score new and greater achievements in fulfilling the goals of the "11th Five-Year Plan", comprehensively building a socialist well-off society with harmonious development and realizing the grand cause of complete reunification of the motherland.

Both sides also exchanged in-depth views on international and regional issues of common interest. When talking about the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, Hu reaffirmed China's principled position and pointed out that the six-party talks are an effective mechanism for resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and it is a correct choice to properly handle related issues in a peaceful manner through dialogue. China would like as always to make joint efforts with related parties including the DPRK to push the process of the six-party talks for continuous progress.

Kim indicated that the DPRK adheres to the target of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and will fulfill the Joint Statement issued by the 4th round of six-party talks and its position of continually advancing the process of six-party talks remains unchanged. The DPRK would like to make joint efforts with China to overcome difficulties in the current six-party talks.

Both sides also briefed each other on their respective internal economic and social developments.

Wu made highly positive comments on Kim's visit to China upon the New Year and hoped that this visit will become an important opportunity for pushing for further development of bilateral friendly relations. He said that both parties and countries have maintained frequent exchanges of high-level visits and increasingly dynamic contact at all levels and in various areas. The central leadership with Comrade Hu as General Secretary attaches great importance to bilateral friendship. China would like to continue implementing the important consensus reached by the two General Secretaries last October based on the policy of carrying on the tradition, facing the future, good-neighborly friendship and strengthening cooperation in a bid to continuously enrich the connotation of bilateral good-neighborly friendship and cooperation and comprehensively push the relations between both parties and countries to a new level. Wu also introduced China's reform and opening up and indicated his willingness to further strengthen exchanges with the DPRK side on governing a state and developing economy.

Kim agreed with Wu' comments on bilateral relations. He said that the Chinese people have offered disinterested assistance and generous support to the DPRK people for a long period of time and his country is deeply thankful for China's efforts and will educate its people through this to ensure that the friendship between both sides will pass on for generations.

Wen said that both countries are friendly neighbors and should further expand cooperation in all areas based on equality, mutual benefits and mutual respect, bring benefits to both peoples and at the same time continue efforts in promoting regional peace and stability. Wen pointed that the economic and trade cooperation is an important part of bilateral relations and both sides should adhere to the policy of being guided by the government with participation of businesses and market operation, give a full role to bilateral mixed committees on economy, trade, science and technology, continuously open new cooperation areas and approaches and enhance the level of economic and trade cooperation. Wen also introduced the current economic situation and the "11th Five-Year Plan" of China.

Kim congratulated on China's enormous achievements in economic and social development. He said that the DPRK is delighted to witness that the new Chinese leadership attaches great importance to further enriching the new connotation of bilateral friendly cooperative relations in the new situation. The DPRK is much satisfied with bilateral cooperation in the areas of economy & trade, energy and human resources training. His country would like to work with China to learn from each other and strengthen cooperation in a bid to jointly push the traditional friendship in various areas to score greater achievements and bring benefits to both countries and their people.

During his stay in Hubei and Guangdong, Kim surveyed Wuhan, Yichang, Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Shenzhen respectively and visited a dozen of institutions and businesses in the areas of industry, agriculture, science & technology and education. During the visit, Kim listened with lively interest to the introductions by the party and government leaders of related provinces and cities, as well as the officials in charge of related institutions and businesses, holding that the achievements that the reform and opening up policy has scored in China, especially in Guangdong, fully show the huge vigor and potential of China's economic growth. Kim noted that he and his delegation were deeply impressed by this rewording visit. They witnessed with their own eyes China's overall national strength steadily improved and its social situation rapidly changed and they have gained a more comprehensive and profound understanding of China and the policies of the Chinese party and government including emancipating the mind, attaching great importance to the talented people, focusing on independent innovation and striving for comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable economic and social development. Kim said that China is taking a road with Chinese characteristics. The DPRK also attaches great importance to developing economy and would like to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China to explore a development road suitable to its national conditions.

The central leaders and those of related provinces and cities including Liu Qi, Wu Yi, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Guo Boxiong, Zeng Peiyan, Wang Gang and Tang Jiaxuan also accompanied Kim respectively to visit or participate in related activities.

Premier of the DPRK Cabinet Pak Pong Ju, First Deputy Foreign Minister Kang Sok Ju, Director of the Department of Planning and Finance of the WPK Central Committee Pak Nam Gi, Director of the Department of Science and Education of the WPK Central Committee Ri Kwang Ho, Vice Premier of the DPRK Cabinet Ro Tu Chol and other officials accompanied Kim on the visit and attended related activities.