Politics

A ceremony was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 11 to welcome the Party and government delegation of the DPRK led by Pak Thae Song, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, vice-president of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and premier of the DPRK Cabinet, on an official visit to the People's Republic of China.

Seen at the venue for the ceremony were the national flags of the DPRK and the PRC, the guard of honour of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (CPLA) and the military band.

Present at the ceremony were Kim Song Nam, member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the WPK Central Committee, and members of the Party and government delegation of the DPRK.

Also present there were Li Qiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and premier of the State Council of the PRC, Wu Zhenglong, member and secretary-general of the State Council of the PRC, Zheng Shanjie, head of the National Development and Reform Committee of the PRC, Wang Wentao, minister of Commerce of the PRC, and officials concerned.

When the Party and government delegation of the DPRK arrived at the Great Hall of the People, Li Qiang warmly greeted it.

The national anthems of the DPRK and the PRC were played.

Pak Thae Song, together with Li Qiang, reviewed the guard of honour of the CPLA.