China's top lawmaker Wu Bangguo met in Beijing Wednesday with Vice President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea Yang Hyong-sop.

 

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, said the China-North Korea friendship serves the common interest of the two peoples and is conducive to the regional peace and stability.

 

Wu said he hoped the two countries would further promote bilateral ties and contribute to peace and development in the region and the world.

 

Yang said North Korea values its traditional friendship with China and will continue to abide by the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries to promote friendly cooperative ties and maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.

 

Yang also said that he hoped the Chinese people would make new achievements in building a moderately prosperous society and realizing national reunification.

 

Yang's five-day visit comes as China and North Korea are holding commemorations in Beijing to mark the 45th anniversary of a friendship treaty.

 

On Tuesday, Yang met with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

 

Hu told Yang that China opposed any action that could worsen the situation on the Korean Peninsula, and hoped all relevant parties would act in a way conducive to the stability on the peninsula.

 

Hu said China had been "seriously concerned" since "some new complicating factors" appeared on the Korean Peninsula.

 

"China has always been committed to maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula, and insisted on resolving the relevant issues through peaceful dialogue and negotiations," Hu said.

 

China on Monday introduced a draft UN Security Council presidential statement on Pyongyang's missile test firing, calling for the parties concerned to work together on the early resumption of the six-party talks on Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 13, 2006)