From October 4 to 6, 2009, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council Wen Jiabao paid an official goodwill visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). On the way back to China, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi who companioned Premier Wen during the tour introduced the visit to the accompanying reporters.
Yang stressed that Premier Wen's visit, with rich connotation, major results and great significance, has two significant achievements. First, it helps deepen the traditional friendship and advance the good-neighborly friendship and cooperative relations between China and the DPRK; second, it helps promote positive progress in the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. As a major country in the region and the host of six-party talks, China once again played an important and responsible role.
He noted that China and the DPRK are friendly neighbors linked by waters and mountains. This year marks the 60th anniversary of China-DPRK diplomatic ties as well as the China-DPRK Friendship Year, which has put the bilateral relations on a new historical starting point. It is the common aspiration of the two countries and their people to consolidate friendship, deepen cooperation and seek development. A peaceful and stable regional environment serves the fundamental interests of both countries. At present, the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia remains complicated and fluctuating. Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula affects all parties concerned and has drawn wide attention from the international community. On the occasion of national celebration on the 60th anniversary of the founding of New China, Premier Wen paid the special visit to the DPRK and attended relevant activities on the 60th anniversary of China-DPRK diplomatic relations and the Friendship Year, which clearly demonstrated that the Chinese side attaches great importance to its relations with the DPRK and is firmly committed to maintaining peace and stability in the region.
I. Forge ahead into the Future and Promote the Good-neighborly Friendship and Cooperation
Yang pointed out that Premier Wen's visit was paid 18 years after the last visit of a Chinese premier to the country and was grandly and warmly welcomed by the DPRK side. Premier Wen's delegation was received by DPRK leaders, including General-Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee and Chairman of the National Defense Commission Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly Kim Yong Nam and Premier Kim Yong Il at the airport when it arrived at Pyongyang and welcomed by hundreds of thousands of Pyongyang citizens standing along the two sides of the road from the airport. Premier Wen held talks and meetings with Kim Jong Il and other DPRK leaders during the visit. Both sides reviewed the 60-year history of development of and planned the future for bilateral ties. They agreed that China-DPRK friendship, created and cultivated personally by the older generation of revolutionaries of both countries, is a shared fortune between the two countries and complies with the aspiration and fundamental interests of their people. China and the DPRK will take the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties as a new starting point and follow the spirit of "carrying forward the tradition, facing the future, promoting good-neighborly friendship and strengthening cooperation" to maintain high-level exchanges, deepen pragmatic cooperation in trade and economic sector and strengthen coordination and communication on major issues based on the precondition of mutual respect and treating each other as equals, so as to push forward the development of good-neighborly friendship and cooperative relations between the two countries, bring about greater benefit to their people and advance regional peace, stability and development. The two sides signed a number of intergovernmental economic and technological cooperation agreements and announced the launch of China-DPRK Yalu River highway bridge construction project.
The two sides held rich and colorful activities celebrating the 60th anniversary of China-DPRK diplomatic ties and the China-DPRK Friendship Year. During the visit, Premier Wen and General-Secretary Kim Jong Il together watched the DPRK version of opera A Dream of Red Mansions and attended the celebration on the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties & closing ceremony of the Friendship Year. Premier Wen and Premier Kim Yong Il watched the joint performance presented by artists of both countries. Premier Wen also visited the China-DPRK friendship farm and called on local farmers. Those colorful and successful activities well reflected the deep-rooted friendship between China and the DPRK. Leaders of both countries indicated the importance of focusing on the future, carrying forward the spirit of China-DPRK Friendship Year, promoting educational, cultural and youth exchanges, deepening traditional friendship and passing on the friendship from generation to generation.
II. Advance Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and Maintain Regional Peace and Stability
Premier Wen exchanged frank and in-depth opinions with DPRK leaders on pushing forward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which has achieved important and positive progress, said Yang. Premier Wen stressed that to adhere to the goal of Korean Peninsula denuclearization and maintain peace and stability on the Peninsula and in Northeast Asia serve the interests of all parties including the DPRK. To achieve denuclearization on the Peninsula through dialogue and consultations is a common consensus of the international community and the only way of solving the Peninsula's nuclear issue. As an effective mechanism to achieve such a goal, six-party talks must be maintained. China is willing to join hands with the DPRK and all the other parties concerned to make positive contributions to achieving denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and safeguarding peace, stability and development in Northeast Asia.
The DPRK side noted that to realize denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is the teachings of late President Kim Il Sung and its goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula remains unchanged. The relations between the DPRK and the US must be turned from being hostile to peaceful through bilateral talks. The DPRK side is willing to conduct multilateral talks, including the six-party talks, in light of the progress of DPRK-US talks.
III. Reflect on the Past in the light of the Present and Recall the Chinese People's Volunteers Martyrs
Yang said that the day before Premier Wen's visit to the DPRK was the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival of both countries. It is on the festival occasions when one misses his dear most. Being concerned about the martyrs of the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) sleeping their long sleep in an alien land, Premier Wen, regardless of tense schedule and bumpy roads, spent 4 hours on a round trip to the cemetery for CPV martyrs in Hoechang and, on behalf of China and its people, recalled the CPV heroes sacrificing for the motherland and for peace half a century ago. He paid silent tribute in front of the CPV statue, comforted the spirit of the martyr before Mao Anying's tomb and held a memorial ceremony for all the martyrs in the cemetery. The true and sincere feeling on the site was deeply moving. The people of the motherland never forget the CPV martyrs. Their great and lofty spirit coexists with mountains and waters and shines forever like the sun and the moon, encouraging us to build a better future for our country, carry forward the China-DPRK friendship and safeguard peace. China which is growing prosperous and powerful will contribute more to promoting peace, stability and development in this region and the world at large.