Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, and Choe Ryong Hae, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), jointly attended the opening ceremony of the \"China-DPRK Friendship Year\" on Friday.
The event took place at the East Pyongyang Grand Theater, where both leaders emphasized the enduring friendship between their nations. Zhao highlighted that \"China and the DPRK are socialist and friendly neighbors linked by mountains and rivers, and are as close as lips and teeth.\"
Zhao also praised the leadership of General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping and WPK General Secretary Kim Jong Un, stating they are \"the helmsmen steering the boat, drawing the blueprint, and charting the course of the development of China-DPRK relations.\" He expressed China's readiness to collaborate with the DPRK to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders, promote traditional friendship, deepen strategic mutual trust, and enhance exchanges and cooperation, thereby writing a new chapter in China-DPRK friendship.
Choe Ryong Hae echoed these sentiments, noting that under the leadership of Xi and Kim, \"the DPRK-China relations of the new era\" have reached a new strategic height. He affirmed that the friendship bonds between the two countries \"have remained unshakable and become even firmer.\"
Marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties, Choe stated that the DPRK is eager to join hands with China to strengthen and develop friendly cooperation, embarking on a new journey to vigorously advance the friendship between the two nations.
Following the ceremony, Zhao and Choe enjoyed a performance by art troupes from China and the DPRK. Earlier, Zhao presented a floral basket to the China-DPRK Friendship Tower in tribute to the martyrs of the Chinese People's Volunteers and visited the Kangdong General Greenhouse Farm.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
