BEIJING, Jan. 28 -- "Mil-to-mil relations play an important role in China-DPRK relationship. China will continue to conduct friendly exchanges between the two militaries at all levels," said Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense (MND), at a regular press conference in Beijing on Thursday.

According to media reports, Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), said in his report to the eighth party congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) that the DPRK prioritizes the development of the special relationship with China, which has a long historical foundation, and the five meetings between the top leaders of the two countries provide a reliable guarantee for deepening bilateral ties. In addition, Kim Jong Un also said that the DPRK will deal with the US in the principle of "responding to aggressiveness with aggressiveness, responding to kindness with kindness".

Senior Colonel Wu was asked during the press conference to brief on the current development of mil-to-mil relationship between China and the DPRK and make comment on Kim Jong Un's remarks.

Wu said that China and the DPRK are friendly neighbors linked by mountains and rivers. In recent years, the top leaders of the two parties and two countries have maintained close exchanges and forged profound friendship, which has injected strong impetus into the development of bilateral relations and opened a new chapter of China-DPRK friendship.

He mentioned that on January 11, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping made a telephone call to Kim Jong Un, congratulating him on election as the general secretary of the WPK of the DPRK. Xi stressed that it is an unswerving policy of the CPC and the Chinese government to preserve, consolidate and develop China-DPRK relations.

Wu said that China is willing to continue to write a new chapter of China-DPRK friendly cooperation in accordance with the important consensus reached by the two sides, push forward the socialist cause of the two countries and safeguard regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.

He continued that the mil-to-mil relations are an important part of China-DPRK relations and have made positive contributions to the consolidation and development of bilateral relations. The next step, China will continue to resolutely implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and countries, conduct friendly exchanges between the two militaries at all levels, and play a positive role in promoting the development of China-DPRK friendly relations and safeguarding regional peace.

Wu stressed in the end that as a close neighbor of the Korean Peninsula, China stands for pursuing a political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue in accordance with the dual-track approach in a phased and synchronized manner. China is ready to work with all relevant parties to play a constructive role in realizing lasting peace on the Peninsula.