China's top legislator Wu Bangguo arrived in Pyongyang Wednesday morning for an official goodwill visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Wu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee and a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, headed a state delegation for the visit at the invitation of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly Presidium and the DPRK cabinet.

Deputy head of the delegation Zeng Peiyan, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese vice premier, Sheng Huaren, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee and the NPC Standing Committee's secretary-general, and other CPC, government, and military officials arrived aboard the same plane.

The DPRK Supreme People's Assembly Presidium President Kim Yong Nam hosted a red-carpet ceremony to welcome Wu. He also accompanied Wu to inspect the guards of honor.

In a written speech delivered at the airport, Wu said that under the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the Korean people established people's government through self-reliance and onerous efforts during the past half century, making glorious accomplishments in socialist revolution and construction.

Taking along the path of socialism of the Korean style, he said, the Korean people scored remarkable progress in socialist construction, improvement of inter-Korean relations and expansion of external exchanges in recent years, adding that China had heartfelt delight for all these deeds.

According to Wu, China and the DPRK are friendly neighbors. After the advent of the new century, he said, the traditional friendship which was forged and nurtured by leaderships of old generations witnessed further consolidation and development thanks to the direct care form top leaders and joint efforts made by the two peoples.

During the visit, Wu said he would exchange views with the DPRK leadership on development of bilateral ties and issues of common interest.

He hoped the visit could further enhance the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two parties, two countries and two peoples for the common prosperity and development, and make contribution to the maintenance of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region as well.

China and the DPRK enjoy a tradition of exchanging high-level visit among top officials of the two countries. Wu's visit is to reciprocate the two visits made by the DPRK state delegations in 1999 and 2002.

(Xinhua News Agency October 29, 2003)