Greater development of China-DPRK ties expected during Xi's upcoming visit to Pyongyang: spokesperson

BEIJING - Top leaders of China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will exchange views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest in Pyongyang next week, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday.

Mao made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked about the upcoming state visit to the DPRK by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, scheduled from June 8 to 9.

Xi's trip is at the invitation of Kim Jong-un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK.

This visit will be Xi's first state visit to the DPRK in seven years. This year marks the 65th anniversary of the signing of the China-DPRK Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance.

China and the DPRK will take this visit as an opportunity to promote the bilateral relations to keep pace with the times and achieve greater development, enhance the well-being of the people of the two countries, and make greater contributions to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region and the world at large, Mao said.