Political Lens

Top legislator highlights ties with DPRK

China's top legislator Zhao Leji has underlined China's readiness to intensify high-level exchanges, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, promote people-to-people exchanges and strengthen strategic coordination with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, made the remarks during talks with Choe Ryong-hae, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, in Pyongyang on Thursday.

Zhao is making a three-day official visit to the DPRK and attending the opening ceremony of the China-DPRK Friendship Year.

He stressed Beijing's readiness to intensify exchanges and cooperation with the DPRK's legislative bodies to help lift China-DPRK traditional friendly and cooperative relations to a higher level.

Choe said the blood-cemented friendship between the two countries has a long history and profound foundation, and is the common precious heritage and wealth of the two countries.

The DPRK stands ready to take the opportunity of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties and the DPRK-China Friendship Year to carry on and develop the traditional bilateral friendship and deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, he said.

After the talks, Zhao and Choe witnessed the signing of cooperation documents in fields including reciprocal exemption of diplomatic and service visas, mutual translation and publication of classical literature, customs quarantine, radio and television, and postal delivery.

Senior official: China-US relations at critical crossroads

Cai Qi, a senior official of the Communist Party of China, met with John L. Thornton, co-chair of the Board of Trustees of the Asia Society, in Beijing on Friday.

Cai, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, said that at present, China-US relations are at a critical crossroads, and to continuously stabilize and improve the relationship, the two sides need to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and find a correct way to get along based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.

Noting that the future of China-US relations is created by the people, Cai expressed the hope that Thornton will continue to exert his influence to enhance exchanges and friendship between the two countries.

Thornton said he is willing to continue contributing to the US-China friendship and improving Americans' understanding of China.

China Daily - Xinhua