On October 23, 2011, visiting Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, held talks with Choe Yong Rim, premier of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and a member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea (WPK), at Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang.

Li first conveyed the cordial greetings and good wishes from Premier Wen Jiabao to Choe. Li said China and the DPRK have reached a lot of consensus on further promoting bilateral relations when Choe recently made an official goodwill visit to China. He said the visit was a great success. As good neighbors linked by mountains and rivers, the two nations have supported each other, consolidated their good neighborly friendship, and advanced mutually beneficial cooperation since they established diplomatic relations 62 years ago, which has not only promoted their respective socialist construction, but made positive contributions to regional peace and stability, he said.

Li said that China-DPRK friendship is a valuable asset of the two parties, countries and peoples. The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government highly value the traditional friendship with the DPRK and have always looked at and handled the bilateral relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective. It is China's unswerving policy to continuously consolidate and develop the traditional friendly and cooperative relations with the DPRK, the Chinese vice premier said. In the new situation, China stands ready to work with the DPRK to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of both nations, further strengthen friendly exchanges and practical cooperation in various areas and promote the sustained, sound and steady development of bilateral ties, he added. Both sides should continue to push forward China-DPRK pragmatic cooperation in the principles of government guidance with enterprises playing a major role, market operation, and mutual benefits for win-win results. The two sides also need to maintain the steady, rapid growth in trade, and actively and properly carry out major cooperative projects, said Li. He urged both sides to expand exchanges and cooperation on education, culture, tourism, media, and civil society and at local levels to further enhance understanding and friendship between the two peoples.

Li said the current trip is his second visit to the DPRK after a lapse of 6 years. He said during the visit, he has seen many new changes in the country's national development, economic growth and improvement of people's livelihood. The Chinese side sincerely wished the DPRK people new and greater achievements in various undertakings.

Li also briefed Choe on the Sixth Plenary Session of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and China's reform and opening-up as well as its socialist modernization. Li said that it is in the interests of various parties concerned to improve the DPRK's ties with South Korea and the United States, enhance dialogues and contacts, and safeguard peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. China supports the DPRK in its efforts to take the right direction for engagement and dialogues, resume the six-party talks at an early date, promote denuclearization on the peninsula, further ease tension there, and safeguard regional peace, stability and development, he said.

Choe asked Li to convey his cordial greetings to Premier Wen and congratulated China on the success of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Choe said under the care of the top leaders of the two countries, DPRK-China relations have made greater development at a higher level in recent years. He said it is the DPRK's unwavering policy and in the strategic interests of the two parties and countries to strengthen their traditional friendship and deepen their cooperation. The two sides need to consolidate political trust, expand practical cooperation in such areas as economy and trade, mining and infrastructure, carry on the friendship from generation to generation, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, he said. He said that the DPRK upholds unconditional resumption of the six-party talks, comprehensive implementation of the 9·19 Joint Statement and realization of the denuclearization on the peninsula and this position is consistent.

Later in the day, the Chinese vice premier attended a welcome banquet hosted by Choe on behalf of the WPK and the DPRK government. DPRK Vice Premier Ro Tu Chol, all the Chinese accompanying officials and responsible officials from the relevant DPRK party and government departments attended the banquet.

On the same day, representatives from departments concerned of both sides signed an agreement on economic and technological cooperation and other cooperative documents.