China is seeking stronger cooperative links with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), a senior Chinese official said in Pyongyang Saturday.  

Li Changchun, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said China and the DPRK should continue to strengthen cooperation to carry forward the traditional Sino-DPRK friendship.

Speaking following a meeting with Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, Li said the bilateral friendship initiated by leaders of elder generations of the two countries is based on deep historical links and firm political foundations.

Kim said consolidation and strengthening of bilateral friendship are in the fundamental interests of the two peoples.

The DPRK side attaches great importance to bilateral friendship and will develop close bilateral cooperation in various fields including in international affairs, he added.

Kim spoke highly of China's remarkable achievements and its independent foreign policy of peace, which has won extensive respects from the international community and fully demonstrated that China's domestic and foreign policies are correct.

At a separate meeting with DPRK Cabinet Premier Pak Bong-ju on Saturday, Li said the two sides are willing to further develop bilateral economic and trade cooperation as the two countries are faced with good opportunities and vast potentials.

China attaches importance to developing economic and trade cooperation of mutual benefits with the DPRK, and will work with the DPRK side to substantiate the important consensus reached between leaders of the two countries and actively expand the Sino-DPRK cooperation, Li said.

Pak said the bilateral cooperation has been more active since DPRK's top leader Kim Jong-il visited China in April, and he believed that Li's visit would make new contributions to the development of bilateral friendly relations.

Li, heading a delegation of the CPC and the Chinese government that was invited by the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and the DPRK government, arrived in Pyongyang on Friday for an official goodwill visit to the country.

(Xinhua News Agency September 12, 2004)