Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, paid an unofficial visit to the People's Republic of China from January 10 to 18 at the invitation of Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and president of the People's Republic of China. He was accompanied by Premier of the Cabinet Pak Pong Ju, First Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Sok Ju, Department Directors of the WPK Central Committee Pak Nam Gi and Ri Kwang Ho and Vice-Premier of the Cabinet Ro Tu Chol. The party and state leaders of China warmly welcomed Kim Jong Il who came to it again at the outset of the new year, carrying with him the profound friendly feelings towards the fraternal Chinese people and accorded him cordial hospitality with utmost sincerity.

The first leg of his visit was Wuhan and Yichang cities of Hubei Province.
Huang Ju, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice-premier of the State Council, kindly greeted Kim Jong Il in Wuhan upon the authorization of General Secretary Hu Jintao and the CPC Central Committee.
 Also present to greet Kim Jong Il were senior party and government cadres of Hubei Province and Wuhan City including Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Hubei Provincial Committee of the CPC Yu Zhengsheng, Governor of Hubei Province Luo Qingquan, Secretary of the Wuhan City Committee of the CPC Miao Yu and Mayor of Wuhan Li Xiansheng.

 Kim Jong Il met and conversed with Huang Ju.
Huang Ju, on behalf of General Secretary Hu Jintao, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, warmly welcomed Kim Jong Il on a visit to Wuhan City which President Kim Il Sung visited several times.
 Huang said that the visit of Kim Jong Il to Wuhan City associated with the history of Sino-DPRK friendship is greatly conducive to further glorifying the friendly relations between the two countries provided by the leaders of the old generation.
 Pointing out that thanks to the leadership of Kim Jong Il the DPRK has made signal achievements in the building of a great prosperous powerful nation and various other fields, Huang sincerely congratulated him on them.

 Kim Jong Il said he was pleased to visit Wuhan City, expressing his thanks to leading officials and people of Hubei Province and Wuhan City for their warm reception.
 Huang Ju hosted a grand banquet in honor of Kim Jong Il.
 Those present at the banquet raised toasts to the stronger friendly relations between the two parties and the two countries and to the health of the leaders of the two parties and the two states.
 Kim Jong Il visited the Changfei Optical Fiber and Optical Cable Company and Fenghuo Communications Co., Ltd. in company with Huang Ju. He also visited the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River in Yichang, Hubei Province, guided by Yu Zhengsheng, Wang Jiarui, head of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee, and Luo Qingquan, Wu Donghe, Chinese ambassador to the DPRK, and leading officials from Beijing and the province.
 The world's leading power station now under construction is a gigantic structure to be recorded in the Chinese history, he said, adding that this is a striking manifestation of the resourcefulness and strength of the Chinese people.

The next leg of his visit was Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Shenzhen of Guangdong Province.
Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, greeted Kim Jong Il in Guangzhou. He was also greeted by Zhang Dejiang, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CPC, Huang Huahua, governor of Guangdong Province, Lin Shusen, secretary of the Guangzhou City Committee of the CPC, Zhang Guangning, mayor of Guangzhou, and other leading party and government officials of Guangdong Province and Guangzhou City. Kim Jong Il met and had a cordial conversation with Li Changchun.

 Hu Jintao, who sets great store by the Sino-DPRK friendship, dispatched me to Guangzhou to specially receive Kim Jong Il, Li said, warmly welcoming his Guangzhou visit on behalf of the central collective leadership of the CPC.
 Li, recalling with deep emotion his unforgettable Korea visit in 2004, once again expressed greetings of profound thanks to Kim Jong Il for showing profound care and benevolence for him.
 Kim Jong Il's four visits to China in the new century are events of historic significance in improving the relations between the two countries, Li said, highly praising him for making a great contribution to boosting the Sino-Korean friendship.
 Kim Jong Il said he was deeply impressed by the changes that have taken place in the Guangdong province, hoping that it would further prosper. Li Changchun gave a grand banquet in honor of Kim Jong Il.
 He, in company with Li, visited the Weichuangrixin Electronics Company, the Lianzong Stainless Steel Company Ltd., the Guangzhou International Conference and Exhibition Centre and a metro and cruised the Zhu River aboard a sightseeing boat to be briefed on the construction in Guangzhou City. He visited Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Shenzhen cities, guided by leading officials from Beijing and the province including Zhang Dejiang, member of the Political Bureau of the C.C., CPC and secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CPC; Wang Jiarui, head of the International Liaison Department of the C.C., CPC; Huang Huahua, governor of Guangdong Province; and Wu Donghe, Chinese ambassador to the DPRK. While staying there he visited different units including Zhongshan University, Xinghai Conservatory and the Dongsheng Farm Company Ltd. in Guangzhou, the Software Development Centre of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the Gree Air Conditioner Production Company and the Eastcompeace Smart Card Co., Ltd. in Zhuhai and Yantian Port, Huawei Technologies, and the Dazu Laser Science and Technology Co., Ltd. in Shenzhen. He was accorded whole-hearted warm welcome by the Chinese people wherever he went.

 During his stay he enjoyed a music and dance performance specially prepared by artistes from Beijing and Guangdong Province together with leading officials of the province and Shenzhen city including Zhang Dejiang, secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CPC, and Huang Huahua, governor of the province.
 The artistes put on the stage colorful numbers including orchestra "Prelude to Celebration", children's chorus "Wanlihua", Urheen solo "Horse Race", ballet "We Sing of Huang He River", display of national dresses "Beautiful Rainbow in the East", song and dance "To Greet Friend from Place Far Away" and Korean songs "Soldier Lives Near the General", "The Flower Girl" and "Balloonflower."
 Kim Jong Il sent a floral basket to the performers, congratulating them on their successful performance.
 Zhang Dejiang hosted a banquet in honor of Kim Jong Il.
 While making a long journey from the central part of China to its southern part, he learned in detail with the thoughts and feelings of the hard-working and resourceful Chinese people and the economic, cultural and all other fields.

  A meeting and talks between Kim Jong Il and Hu Jintao were held in Beijing.
 Present there from the Chinese side were Zeng Qinghong, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice-president of the PRC, Tang Jiaxuan, member of the State Council, and Wang Jiarui, head of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee.
 At the talks Kim Jong Il expressed impressions of his visit to the central and southern parts of China where the cause of modernization is being successfully carried out.
 The top leaders of the two parties and countries informed each other of the situation in their countries and had an in-depth exchange of views on the issue of boosting the relations between the two parties and countries and other important international and regional issues of mutual concern and reached a consensus of views in a comradely, sincere and friendly atmosphere.
 
 Hu Jintao warmly welcomed the visit of Kim Jong Il to China and extended New Year's greetings to him and all the Korean people on the lunar New Year on behalf of the CPC Central Committee.
 Noting that it is one of the great features of the relations of good neighborliness and friendship for the top leaders of the two parties and countries to maintain close relationship, have interaction and exchange visits, Hu stressed that leaders of both sides have visited one another several times and made each visit very successful.
 He continued:
 It is in the common interests of the two countries and favorable for peace, stability and development of Northeast Asia to promote and develop in depth the relations between the two parties and countries now that deep-going and complicated changes are taking place in the present international and regional situation.
 New progress has been made in the relations between the two parties and countries and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in the field of economy and trade has registered fresh success in recent years thanks to their joint efforts. It is the steadfast strategic policy of the party and government of China to consolidate and strengthen the Sino-DPRK good-neighborly, friendly and cooperative relations, a precious common boon. Hu Jintao highlighted the Chinese side's willingness to inject fresh vigor and energy into the traditional Sino-DPRK friendship, promote the bilateral good-neighborly, friendly and cooperative relations and develop them in depth, bring bigger happiness to the peoples of the two countries and thus make a greater contribution to peace, stability, prosperity and development in Northeast Asia and in other parts of the world through common efforts with the DPRK side.

 Kim Jong Il expressed thanks for Hu's warm invitation and cordial hospitality, manifesting his pleasure of meeting Hu again after their meeting in Pyongyang last October.
 It is the common desire of the two parties and two peoples to boost the long-standing DPRK-China friendship, he said.
  Noting that the bilateral friendship was provided and fostered by the leaders of the old generation of the two countries and it is making more shining progress under the present situation, he said that the Workers' Party of Korea and the DPRK government would as ever exert fresh efforts to carry forward the tradition of close cooperation between the two parties and countries and boost the bilateral relations of friendship together with the Chinese side. It was estimated at the talks that the good-neighborly, friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries have grown stronger after several historic meetings of the top leaders of the two countries in recent years and mutual support and solidarity were expressed to the parties and peoples in their efforts to build socialism and reunify their countries.

 Hu Jintao said that the WPK and the Korean people have made big achievements in building a great prosperous powerful nation, overcoming manifold difficulties in the spirit of self-reliance and fortitude under the leadership of Kim Jong Il in recent years and made steady fresh success in the aspect of improving external environment, adding that he is sincerely rejoiced over this.
 Hu Jintao supported the Party and the people of the DPRK in maintaining the orientation of socialist development and Korean comrades in seeking a path of development suited to the actual conditions of their country. He expressed conviction that under the leadership of Kim Jong Il the whole Party and country would unite close and work hard to achieve new successes in the cause of building a great prosperous powerful nation.

 Kim Jong Il said that under the leadership of the Communist Party of China the PRC has achieved great successes in the socialist modernization drive with Chinese characteristics and that the progress made by China was ascribable to the line and policies suited to the actual conditions of China including the important thought of the "three represents" set out by the CPC, the view on scientific development and harmonious socialist construction. He expressed the belief that the Chinese people would attain the goals of the 11th 5-year plan under the leadership of the CPC with Hu Jintao as its general secretary to build a comprehensively well-off socialist society and achieve fresh success in the efforts to accomplish the cause of complete reunification of the country.

 Both sides had an in-depth exchange of views on international and regional issues of common concern.
 
 Both sides fully appreciated the positive results made in several rounds of the six-party talks in Beijing and unanimously agreed to consistently maintain the stand of seeking a negotiated peaceful solution to the issue and push forward through sustained joint efforts the process of the six-party talks so as to contribute to the eventual and peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.
 
 Kim Jong Il spoke of the difficulties lying in the process of the six-party talks, noting that there is no change in the DPRK's basic stand of maintaining the goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, implementing the joint statement issued at the fourth round of the six-party talks and pursuing a negotiated peaceful settlement.
 He pointed out that the DPRK would join Chinese comrades in the efforts to seek a way of overcoming the difficulties lying in the way of the six-party talks and steadily advance the talks.
 As regards the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, Hu Jintao reclarified the stand of the Chinese side, saying that the six-party talks serve as an effective mechanism for settling the nuclear issue and it is the right option to properly deal with the relevant issue in a peaceful way through dialogue. He pointed out that the Chinese side is ready to make joint efforts with the parties concerned including the DPRK in the future, too as in the past and put spurs to the six-party talks so that they may make steady progress.

 Kim Jong Il had a cordial conversation with Hu Jintao who visited the state guest house and visited the Crop Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in company with him.

  After making the round of the institute, Kim Jong Il highly praised its research group for having made many successes in the research into the crops helpful to the agricultural development of the country.

  Hu Jintao hosted a grand banquet at the Great Hall of the People that evening in honor of Kim Jong Il on visit to China.
  Present there on invitation were Kim Jong Il, Pak Pong Ju, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, Kang Sok Ju, first vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Choe Jin Su, DPRK ambassador to China, and staff members of the DPRK embassy.
  Present there were Jia Qinglin, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; Zeng Qinghong, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice-president of the PRC; Liu Qi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC; Wu Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice-premier of the State Council; Guo Boxiong, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice-chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission; Wang Gang, alternate member of the Political Bureau, member of the Secretariat and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee; Tang Jiaxuan, member of the State Council; Wang Jiarui, head of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee; and other senior officials of the party and state of China and Wu Donghe, Chinese ambassador to the DPRK.
 Hu Jintao and Kim Jong Il made speeches at the banquet.
 It proceeded in an amicable atmosphere overflowing with the feelings of friendship.

 Kim Jong Il met with Wu Bangguo, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Wen Jiabao, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and premier of the State Council, and Jia Qinglin, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and had cordial conversations with them. Wu Bangguo warmly welcomed Kim Jong Il on visit to China at the outset of the new year and hoped that his visit would provide an important occasion of boosting the Sino-DPRK ties of friendship.

 Noting that frequent visits of high-ranking officials have taken place between the two parties and the two countries and exchanges have become brisk in various fields and at different levels, he stressed that the collective leadership of China with Hu Jintao as general secretary is attaching great importance to the Sino-DPRK friendship.
 He said that China is ready to continue putting into practice the common understanding expressed by the general secretaries of the two parties in October last year, pursuant to the policy of inheriting the tradition, facing up to the future, building good neighborly friendship and strengthening cooperation and enrich the contents of the Sino-DPRK good neighborliness, friendship and cooperation to put the ties between the two parties and the two countries on a new high stage in all fields.

 Wen Jiabao warmly welcomed Kim Jong Il on visit to China and praised his devoted efforts and important contribution made to preserve and develop the friendly and cooperative relations between the two parties and two countries and achieve the prosperity of his country.
 The Sino-DPRK friendship that stood the test of history is unbreakable, he said, noting with pleasure that the traditional friendship provided and cultivated by leaders of the old generation of the two countries has been successfully carried forward and developed thanks to the common efforts of the two sides.
  He exchanged with Kim Jong Il views on the issue of boosting the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries, the cooperation in economy and trade, in particular, and introduced to him the present economic situation in China and the relevant content of the 11th five-year plan. Kim Jong Il said that the DPRK feels grateful to the party and government of China for rendering disinterested assistance to it each time it faced difficulties, and expressed thanks to Wen who has supervised this work.

 Noting that the DPRK and China should learn from each other and exchange experience in many aspects, he sincerely hoped that China would make fresh and greater success in carrying out the cause of building a comprehensively well-off society in the spirit of the 16th Congress of the CPC. Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, warmly welcomed Kim Jong Il on China visit on behalf of the party, government, and people of China upon the authorization of General Secretary Hu Jintao.
 Recalling the days of his visit to the DPRK in 2002 with emotion, he expressed deep gratitude to Kim Jong Il for having accorded him warm hospitality, and offered him New Year's greetings.
 Wen Jiabao hosted a luncheon in honor of Kim Jong Il.
 Present at the luncheon were Wu Guanzheng, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the C.C., CPC and secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC, Luo Gan, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the C.C., CPC, and Zeng Peiyan, vice-premier of the State Council who is member of the Political Bureau of the C.C., CPC.

 Hu Jintao bade farewell to Kim Jong Il leaving Beijing after wrapping up his China visit.
 Kim Jong Il was seen off at Beijing Railway Station by Jia Qinglin, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the C.C., CPC and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Liu Qi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC, and other leading officials of China.
 He toured the central and southern parts of the PRC.

  The unofficial visit to China paid by him at the outset of the new year for the purpose of steadily boosting the DPRK-China friendship achieved success thanks to the particular care and warm hospitality of Hu Jintao, the party and government of China.
 Kim Jong Il expressed satisfaction over his fruitful visit and sincere thanks for the cordial hospitality accorded to him by leading officials of the party and government of China.
 Kim Jong Il's historic visit to China will help boost the traditional DPRK- China friendship and record a brilliant page in its history.

Speech of by Kim Jong Il at Banquet

 We have visited the southern part of the People's Republic of China as our first political itinerary in the new year at the kind invitation of you esteemed Comrade General Secretary Hu Jintao.
 First of all, I would like to express my great pleasure of meeting you here in Beijing today in the wake of our meeting in Pyongyang last October. Our long-cherished hope to visit the southern part of the Chinese land has come true at last thanks to your proposal and particular care. Allow me to express my thanks to you Comrade General Secretary Hu Jintao for having meticulously organized the specific course of our trip to different places of the southern part of China.

 Our profound thanks also goes to several leading cadres in Beijing and in the localities for having warmly received us and accorded us cordial hospitality despite the pressure of their work in the run-up to the lunar New Year's Day. I would like to express, at the same time, my thanks to you Comrade General Secretary Hu Jintao for having hosted this grand banquet and made such enthusiastic speech.
 Our visit provided us with an opportunity to get familiar with peculiar and diverse aspects of the Chinese nation in natural, social, cultural and various other fields in the vast land of China. We were deeply impressed by the shining achievements made in the high-tech field, in particular. Warm hospitality accorded to us by Chinese comrades in Wuhan, Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Shenzhen and every other place we went and the warm southern climate pleased us away from intense cold of mid-winter though for a short time.

 The progress made in the southern part of China which has undergone a rapid change and the stirring reality of China, in particular, deeply impressed us.
  Still fresh in my memory is my visit to Shanghai five years ago that has changed beyond recognition. Touring various special economic zones making a great contribution to the socialist modernization drive with Chinese characteristics, we were more deeply moved by the Chinese people's enterprising and persevering efforts and fruits born by them.

 In a word, our visit to the southern part of China convinced us once again that China has a rosier future thanks to the correct line and policies advanced by the Communist Party of China.
  The astonishing changes that have taken place in the vast land of China have been possible because the CPC laid down a new line and policies to suit the specific conditions of the country such as the thought of "three represents", the " view on scientific development" and "construction of a harmonious socialist society" and powerfully encouraged the people in their efforts to materialize them.

 It is our firm belief that the hard-working Chinese people will successfully attain the far-reaching targets of the new 11th five-year plan and thus build a comprehensively well-off socialist society before long and accomplish the cause of complete reunification of the country without fail. We are rejoiced as over our own over the fact that everything goes on well in China, our neighbor, and satisfied over the steady vigorous development of the DPRK-China friendly relations despite the present complicated situation.

 The DPRK-China relations provided and cultivated by revolutionary forerunners of the two countries go a long way towards giving a strong impetus to our socialist construction and ensuring peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and, furthermore, in Northeast Asia and the rest of the world. We feel sincerely thankful to the Chinese party, government and people for invariably setting store by the DPRK-China friendship on a strategic level and rendering disinterested support and assistance to the Korean people in their struggle to defend socialism.
 The Workers' Party of Korea and the DPRK government will as ever exert every effort to consolidate the ties of fraternal friendship deeply rooted in the minds of the two peoples and inject more fresh energy into this friendship, common boon, in various fields.