PLA senior officers offer condolences on Kim Jong Il's death

Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission Xu Caihou went to the Embassy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in Beijing Tuesday morning to express his condolences on the death of top DPRK leader Kim Jong Il. Kim was the General Secretary of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and the Chairman of the National Defense Commission (NDC) of the DPRK. "We felt deep grief over comrade Kim Jong Il's death," Xu said. Kim Jong Il was an intimate friend of the Chinese people and armed forces, he said, stressing that Kim made important contributions to advancing the development of the traditional friendly cooperative relations between the two countries as well as the two armed forces. He said the People's Liberation Army (PLA) will continue to implement the important consensus reached by both leaders and work with the Korean People's Army to make positive efforts in consolidating bilateral military relations as well as maintaining peace and stability of the region and the world. DPRK Ambassador to China Ji Jae Ryong thanked Xu and other Chinese military leaders for coming to mourn the death of the DPRK's top leader. He said Kim Jong Il was very concerned about and made great efforts for the development of the bilateral traditional friendly relationship of cooperation as well as bilateral military relations. The DPRK will carry on Kim's legacy and work with Chinese comrades to make positive contributions to the reinforcement and development of the traditional friendship between the two countries and the two armed forces, he added. Defense Minister Liang Guanglie, Director of the PLA General Political Department Li Jinai, Deputy Chief of the PLA General Staff Ma Xiaotian and other PLA senior officers also went to the DPRK Embassy in Beijing to mourn Kim's death.