The friendship between China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has withstood the test of time and history, said the Chinese leader Jiang Zemin on Monday.

Jiang, who is on a three-day visit to DPRK in his capacity of the general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Chinese president, made the remarks at a banquet given in honor by his host Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) Central Committee and chairman of the National Defense Commission (NDC).

Jiang recalled the DPRK trip he made 11 years ago, saying that the friendship between the two countries "has withstood the test of time and history and shown a strong vitality with a profound basis."

At the juncture of the new century, China is happy to see that with joint efforts from both sides, the flower of friendship planted and watered by the Chinese and Korean leaders of the old generation has blossomed with bright colors, Jiang said in a speech at the dinner.

"The friendship has been maintained and developed under the new historical conditions and the peoples of both countries are happy about it, and all peace-loving nations and peoples in the world welcomes it," the CPC leader said.

Jiang said that the CPC, the Chinese government and the Chinese people are determined to push the party-to-party relations and state-to-state relations between the two countries to a new level in this new century.

This will be done in the spirit of inheriting the tradition, orienting to the future, promoting good-neighborliness and friendship and strengthening cooperation, the Chinese leader said. This will be done for prosperity and development both in China and the DPRK, and for peace and stability in the region and the world at large.

China would continue to work for furthering good-neighborly relations of friendship and cooperation not only with the DPRK but also with all other neighboring countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-Existence and other widely accepted principles guiding international relations, Jiang said.

He praised the DPRK people for their perseverance and achievements made under the leadership of the WPK in overcoming difficulties and building socialism with Korean characteristics initiated by Kim Il Sung, the father of Kim Jong Il.

The DPRK has scored remarkable achievements in the past few years in economic recovery and development, in foreign relations, in the relations between the two sides on the Korean peninsula, and in the cause of independent and peaceful reunification, Jiang said.

He said he believes that the DPRK people will overcome any difficulty and make greater achievements, marching on the road of development mapped to fit the country's specific conditions.

The future for the DPRK is bound to be brighter and the Korean peninsula is for sure to be more stable and prosperous, Jiang said.

Jiang also talked about the CPC, citing its history of 80 years and its membership of over 64 million.

History proves it is the CPC who has created a new China and brought about progress in China over the past five decades or more, the Chinese leader said.

(People's Daily 09/04/2001)