Leaders of China and the DemocraticPeople's Republic of Korea (DPRK) exchanged congratulatory messages on Tuesday on the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The friendly relations between China and the DPRK are deeply rooted and the establishment of diplomatic ties opened a new historic chapter in their bilateral relations, the leaders said ina message sent to top DPRK leaders.

The message was sent by Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), president of the People's Republic of China and chairman of the Central Military Commission of the CPC; Jiang Zemin, chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China; Wu Bangguo, chairman of the National People's Congress; and Wen Jiabao, premier of the State Council.

"With the efforts of the two parties, governments and peoples, the Sino-DPRK relations have achieved great development in variousfields, and our friendship has stood the test of time," the Chinese leaders said.

"The two countries trust each other politically, and the traditional friendship has been continuously strengthened. The deepening exchanges and cooperation in the fields of trade, economy and culture have brought significant benefits to the two peoples."

In regional and international affairs, China and the DPRK have cooperated closely in safeguarding peace and stability in the region and the world as a whole, the Chinese leaders noted.

They pledged that China will continue to consolidate and develop its relations with the DPRK.

In a reciprocal message sent to their Chinese counterparts, topDPRK leaders described the establishment of diplomatic relations as a historic event that ushered in a new phase of all-around development in the two countries' traditional friendship.

Thanks to mutual support and cooperation, the friendly relations have been growing in the past 55 years and have effectively promoted the socialist construction in both countries,said the DPRK leaders.

"We believe that the traditional friendly Korean-Chinese relations of cooperation, under common efforts made by the parties,governments and peoples of both countries, will be further consolidated," the DPRK leaders said in the message.

The DPRK message was co-signed by Jim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the NationalDefense Commission of the DPRK and supreme commander of the KoreanPeople's Army; Kim Yong Nam, president of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK; and Pak Bong Ju, premier of the DPRK.

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing also exchanged greetings with his DPRK counterpart, Paek Nam Sun.

Source: Xinhua