Kim Jong Il, top leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), met with Wang Jiarui, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, in Pyongyang on Friday.

Kim Jong Il (front, R), top leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), shakes hands with Wang Jiarui (2nd, L), head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, in Pyongyang, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, on Jan. 23, 2009. (Xinhua Photo)

This year marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and the DPRK, and 2009 is also the “Year of the China-DPRK Friendship,” the Chinese president noted in the letter.

The China-DPRK friendship and cooperative relations fostered by leaders of the older generation of the two countries have been developing constantly and are becoming ever stronger, Hu said in the letter.

China has all along treasured its relations with the DPRK and is ready to work with it to broaden and deepen bilateral cooperation and exchanges in various fields, according to the letter.

The DPRK government and people will certainly make greater achievements under the strong leadership of the Workers’ Party led by Kim, he added.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet