President Jiang Zemin's visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), a great historical event in bilateral ties, was successful, a senior official who accompanied Jiang on the trip said here Wednesday.
Wang Jiarui, deputy head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remark at a press briefing on the visit between Monday and Wednesday.
Wang said that Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) Central Committee and chairman of the National Defense Commission, paid two visits to China in May last year and January this year, respectively, and Jiang's latest official goodwill visit was another important meeting between the leaders of the two countries.
Jiang, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, and Kim reached important consensus on consolidating and strengthening the traditional friendly Sino-DPRK relationship during Jiang's visit, Wang said.
Both leaders affirmed that, in the spirit of carrying on the good tradition, looking forward to the future and promoting bilateral ties of good neighborliness and friendly cooperation, the two sides will continue to enhance and develop the traditional friendly relationship cultivated and forged by leaders of the older generation, and join hands to further boost mutual understanding, trust and friendship between the two parties, countries and peoples at a higher level of development, Wang said.
Wang pointed out that the two leaders exchanged views on major international and regional issues of common concern, and briefed each other on the current political and economic situation in their countries.
During the three-day visit, Jiang also met with Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, and Premier Hong Song Nam.
Liu Hongcai, deputy secretary-general of Wang's department who also was just back from the visit, said the two leaders reached a consensus that the two sides will maintain the tradition of high- level contacts between the two parties and the two countries, and strengthen their consultation and cooperation on major international and regional issues.
Based on the four principles on inter-party relations -- " independence, equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs," the two parties will strengthen the multi-level communications and exchanges in various forms and in various fields.
The two sides will further develop economic and trade cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, and promote exchanges between youths of the two countries and other forms of personnel exchange.
During his stay in DPRK, Jiang also paid visited the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, the Grand People's Study House, the Sino-DPRK Friendship Tower and other places.
(Xinhua News Agency 09/06/2001)
