Kim Jong-il, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), paid a visit to the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang on Saturday, the second since last year to highlight friendship between the two neighboring countries.

During friendly talks with Chinese Ambassador Liu Xiaoming, Kim conveyed a greeting message to Chinese President Hu Jintao, who is also the general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Kim expressed sympathy with China, which has suffered a worst snow disaster in 50 years in its southern provinces.

He spoke highly of the friendship forged by older generations of leaders of the two countries.

Accompanied by the Chinese ambassador, Kim visited a photo exhibition to commemorate the 110th birthday of late Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai.

Zhou, serving as a Chinese premier from 1949 to 1976, paid the first formal visit to the DPRK in February 1958.

The top DPRK leader also wished the 2008 Beijing Olympics a great success.

Kim last visited the Chinese Embassy on March 4, 2007 to attend a reception party to mark China's traditional Lantern Festival.

(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2008)