Cao Gangchuan, visiting Chinese Defense Minister held talks with Kim Il-chol, Minister of People's Armed Forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), on Tuesday afternoon in Pyongyang.

China's Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan, center, accompanied by Kim Il Chol, Minister of People's Armed Forces of North Korea, reviews the honor guard of the Korean People's Army in Pyongyang, capital of North Korea, Tuesday, April 4, 2006. Cao arrived in the North earlier in the day as part of an Asian tour that will also take him to Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Vietnam. [AP]

Cao praised the development of bilateral exchanges and cooperation in military fields, noting that the China-DPRK traditional friendship has a strong vitality in the new era.

The Chinese armed forces are ready to further enhance future exchanges and cooperation with DPRK armed forces based on traditional friendship to contribute to safeguarding regional security and peace in the Korean Peninsula, Cao said.

Kim said the DPRK always attached great importance to the traditional friendship with China and the Chinese military force.

He expressed the DPRK's willingness to closely work with China to further deepen relations between the two countries and their military forces.

The Chinese defense minister arrived in Pyongyang earlier in the day for an official goodwill visit to the country at the invitation of his DPRK counterpart.