China is ready to work closely with the new leadership of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to cement bilateral friendly cooperative ties, said Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on Friday.

Xi made the remarks while addressing a reception at the DPRK embassy in Beijing to mark the 65th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK).

Xi said over the past 65 years, people of the DPRK had made remarkable achievements in overcoming difficulties, safeguarding national sovereignty and building Korean-style socialism.

He said General Secretary of the WPK Kim Jong Il had led the party and people to be self-reliant, to struggle arduously and to make great achievements in the cause of building a strong and prosperous socialist country.

"We believe that under new leadership of the WPK, the DPRK people will see greater progress in developing its economy, improving living standards, achieving peaceful national unification and expanding foreign relations," said Xi.

China was glad to see the continous consolidation and development of bilateral ties nurtured by generations of state leaders and the joint efforts of the two peoples.

Xi also recalled Kim Jong Il's two China trips this year, in which the DPRK leader had reached important accords with General Secretary Hu Jintao of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

"We are willing to join hands with the DPRK new leadership to further promote China-DPRK friendly cooperative relations in a spirit of carrying forward the tradition, looking forward to the future, developing good-neighborliness and friendship and boosting cooperation," Xi said.

About 100 delegates from both countries attended the reception.