BEIJING - At the invitation of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Chinese Premier Li Qiang will attend the 80th anniversary celebrations of the WPK and pay an official goodwill visit to the DPRK from Oct 9 to 11, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced Tuesday.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, will lead a party and government delegation to the DPRK, said the spokesperson.

China and the DPRK are traditional friends and neighbors, and it is an unswerving strategic policy of the CPC and the Chinese government to maintain, consolidate and develop China-DPRK relations, said the spokesperson when asked about the backdrop and China's expectation of Li's upcoming visit.

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Noting this year marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the WPK, the spokesperson said that China stands ready to work with the DPRK through this visit to follow the guidance of the important common understandings reached between the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, enhance strategic communication, strengthen exchanges and cooperation, and advance China-DPRK traditional friendship and cooperative ties.