Democratic People's Republic of Korea's leader Kim Jong Il met with Chinese President Hu Jintao's special envoy, State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan in Pyongyang Thursday morning, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a routine press conference on Thursday.

Tang, who arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday, conveyed Hu's message to Kim during the meeting. The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on China-DPRK relations and the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, Liu said.

The meeting was of "great significance" as it was held when the situation on the peninsula is undergoing major changes, he added.

"Tang's visit to the DPRK is extremely important for bilateral ties and the current situation of the peninsula," Liu told reporters.

According to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the DPRK conducted an underground nuclear test on Oct. 9.

The United Nations Security Council on Oct. 14 unanimously adopted a resolution imposing sanctions against the DPRK for its nuclear test.

Prior to his arrival in the DPRK, Tang also paid working visit to the United States and Russia, meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other high-ranking officials.

Tang, who left Beijing on Oct. 11, was accompanied by Dai Bingguo, director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Wu Dawei, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, and others.

Source: Xinhua