Pak Thae-song, premier of the Cabinet of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, will lead a party and government delegation on an official visit to China from Friday to Sunday, the Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday.

During the visit, Pak will attend events marking the 65th anniversary of the China-DPRK Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a daily news conference. Pak is also a member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee and vice-president of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK.

Mao said China and the DPRK have agreed to jointly commemorate the treaty's anniversary. Describing the two countries as traditionally friendly neighbors, she said maintaining, consolidating and developing bilateral ties has long been an unswerving strategic policy of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government.

China stands ready to work with the DPRK, guided by the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries, to strengthen strategic communication, expand exchanges and cooperation, and further advance China-DPRK traditional friendship and cooperative ties, Mao said.