China's top legislator
Wu Bangguo arrived in Pyongyang Wednesday morning for an official
goodwill visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK).
Wu, chairman of the
National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee and a member of
the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist
Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, headed a state delegation
for the visit at the invitation of the DPRK Supreme People's
Assembly Presidium and the DPRK cabinet.
Deputy head of the
delegation Zeng Peiyan, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC
Central Committee and Chinese vice premier, Sheng Huaren, vice
chairman of the NPC Standing Committee and the NPC Standing
Committee's secretary-general, and other CPC, government, and
military officials arrived aboard the same plane.
The DPRK Supreme
People's Assembly Presidium President Kim Yong Nam hosted a
red-carpet ceremony to welcome Wu. He also accompanied Wu to
inspect the guards of honor.
In a written speech
delivered at the airport, Wu said that under the leadership of the
Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the Korean people established
people's government through self-reliance and onerous efforts
during the past half century, making glorious accomplishments in
socialist revolution and construction.
Taking along the path of
socialism of the Korean style, he said, the Korean people scored
remarkable progress in socialist construction, improvement of
inter-Korean relations and expansion of external exchanges in
recent years, adding that China had heartfelt delight for all these
deeds.
According to Wu,
China and the DPRK are friendly neighbors. After the advent of
the new century, he said, the traditional friendship which was
forged and nurtured by leaderships of old generations witnessed
further consolidation and development thanks to the direct care
form top leaders and joint efforts made by the two
peoples.
During the visit, Wu
said he would exchange views with the DPRK leadership on
development of bilateral ties and issues of common
interest.
He hoped the visit could
further enhance the traditional friendship and cooperation between
the two parties, two countries and two peoples for the common
prosperity and development, and make contribution to the
maintenance of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in
the region as well.
China and the DPRK enjoy
a tradition of exchanging high-level visit among top officials of
the two countries. Wu's visit is to reciprocate the two visits made
by the DPRK state delegations in 1999 and 2002.
(Xinhua News Agency
October 29, 2003)