The ties between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and China will further move forward next year, a senior DPRK official said at a reception held at the Chinese embassy.

It was the consistent stand of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) to cherish and develop DPRK-China relations, Choe Thae Bok, secretary of the WPK's Central Committee, said Monday.

He extended thanks to China for its support for the DPRK's socialist construction and its reunification cause.

Liu Xiaoming, Chinese ambassador to the DPRK, recalled the events the two sides held in 2009 with an eye to boosting bilateral relations, saying those activities helped deepen the traditional DPRK-China friendship and push their ties to a new high.