Backgrounder: Kim Jong-il's three visits to China
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-04-21 17:13

The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong-il paid an informal visit to China from April 19 to 21.

Kim, general-secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the National Defense Commission of the DPRK, made the visit as guest of Chinese President Hu Jintao, who is also general-secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

This is Kim's third informal visit to China since 2000. The two previous visits were made from May 29 to 31 in 2000, and Jan. 15 to 20 in 2001, respectively, both at the invitation of the then general-secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

During his first visit, Kim held talks with Jiang at the Great Hall of the People. In a cordial and friendly atmosphere, top leaders of the two countries exchanged views and reached consensus on major issues of common concern, including the further development of inter-party and inter-state relations and international and regional situation.

The two sides believed that under the complicated international situation at the turning point of the century, the consolidation and development of China-DPRK friendly relations is not only in the common aspiration and fundamental interests of the two peoples, but also conducive to peace and stability in the region and the world at large.

The two sides pledged that the two countries and two parties would make joint efforts, uphold traditions, face up to the future, keep good neighborly friendship and strengthen cooperation. Besides, the two sides would continuously enrich the connotation of China-DPRK friendly cooperative relations, so as to usher the bilateral friendly relations into the new century and bring them to a new level.

During Kim's second visit, he first had a four-day visit to Shanghai. After the Shanghai visit, Jiang held talks with Kim at the Great Hall of the People, and held a welcome banquet for him and his delegation.

The two leaders briefed other each on respective domestic situation in an amiable and friendly atmosphere, and exchanged views and reached broad consensus on the further development of bilateral relations and major international issues of common concern.

The two sides held that China and the DPRK should keep the tradition of exchanging visits of high-level leaders between the two countries and two parties, and make more efforts to further consolidate, develop and deepen the traditional friendship nurtured by elder generation of leaders of the two countries, in a bid to promote the bilateral friendly relations to a higher level. The two sides believed that all these efforts meet the common aspiration and fundamental interest of the two peoples, and are also conducive to regional and world peace, stability and prosperity.

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