Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong, also a member of the Political Bureau Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met in Beijing with Kim Jong-il, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the National Defense Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), a spokesman with the International Department of the CPC Central Committee said Wednesday.  

Zeng expressed his congratulations on the successful talks and meetings between Kim and General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Hu Jintao and other Chinese leaders.

Zeng spoke positively of the relations between the two parties and the two countries, and introduced at Kim's request the CPC's efforts in party-building in the new period.

Liu Yunshan, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and He Guoqiang, member of the Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee and member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, attended the meeting.

Kim paid an unofficial visit to China from April 19 to 21 at the invitation of General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese President Hu Jintao.

(Xinhua News Agency April 21, 2004)