Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese president, delivers a speech at a welcome banquet held by Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), in Pyongyang, DPRK, June 20, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

PYONGYANG, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Beijing is willing to join Pyongyang in opening up a bright future for bilateral ties, and lasting peace and common prosperity in the region, said Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese president.

Xi made the remarks here Thursday at a welcome banquet held by Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Recalling the 70 years of the China-DPRK relationship, Xi hailed the traditional friendship between the two sides a shared valuable asset forged and left by leaders of elder generations of both countries, saying that such a friendship has remained strong and vigorous despite constant changes.

The two countries, said Xi, have jointly drawn a plan for a bright future of bilateral ties, and reached a streak of major consensus at his fruitful meeting with Kim, adding that the two sides agreed that China and the DPRK need to unswervingly pass down their traditional friendship from generation to generation, and continue writing new chapters of the times.

Beijing and Pyongyang also agreed that a political settlement of the nuclear issue in the Korean Peninsula has been a popular aspiration and an inevitable trend, and that they need to continue to stick to peace talks so as to make even greater contributions to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the wider world, said Xi.

The Chinese leader also said that the WPK and the people of the DPRK, under Kim's leadership, currently have initiated a new strategic line in a bid to focus on economic development and improve people's livelihood, and brought the socialist construction in the country to a new height.

He said that it is believed that the DPRK's socialist cause will achieve an even greater accomplishment under the WPK's leadership headed by Kim, adding that China is willing to work with the DPRK in opening up a bright future for the bilateral ties, as well as lasting peace and common prosperity in the region.

For his part, Kim said in their joint socialist construction endeavor, the DPRK and China have already formed a tradition of sharing weal and woe as well as supporting and cooperating with each other, adding that he and Xi have confirmed upholding the socialist system is the core of maintaining the DPRK-China friendship during their four meetings in the past year.

He said Xi's ongoing visit has turned a new and splendid page in the DPRK-China friendship, adding that he and Xi just had an in-depth exchange of views on further strengthening the DPRK-China friendship and bilateral cooperation in the new era and have reached important consensus.

Kim also said that he firmly believes that, under the strong leadership of comrade General Secretary Xi, the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people will make new and great achievements in the development of socialism, adding that the DPRK side, as always, will move forward side by side with the Chinese side to write a new chapter of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Following the banquet, Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan, accompanied by Kim and his wife Ri Sol Ju, watched a large group callisthenics and art performance at the May Day Stadium in the DPRK capital.