PYONGYANG - Kim Jong Il, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), met Liang Guanglie, Chinese Defense Minister, here on Wednesday.

Kim welcomed Liang, speaking highly of the DPRK-China friendship.

He said the DPRK-China friendship, a treasure inherited from the older generations of the leaders of the two counties, had stood the test of history and was unbreakable.

The two counties celebrated a Friendship Year this year, Kim said, extending the hope of continuing to work to strengthen the bilateral ties comprehensively.

He said relations between the two armies was an important part of the relations between the two countries and the two sides should continue to boost exchange and cooperation in a bid to consolidate and develop DPRK-China friendship.

Kim spoke highly of the achievements the Chinese people and army had made, and hoped the country would continue to grow in all areas.

He also asked Liang to convey his greetings and good wishes to Chinese president Hu Jintao and other Chinese leaders.

Liang extended his thanks for Kim's meeting and conveyed Hu and other Chinese leaders' greetings to him.

He said the China-DRPK friendship, set up and fostered by the older generations of leaders of the two countries, was showing its great vitality. The Chinese government was unshakeable in its commitment to consolidate and develop the cooperative relations of the two countries.

China would continue to enlarge and deepen the exchange and cooperation with the DPRK side in the spirit of "inheriting tradition, facing up to the future, building good neighborly friendship and strengthening cooperation," in order to benefit the two peoples and contribute to peace and development of Northeast Asia and the world.