BEIJING -- China's propaganda minister pledged to deepen relations with North Korea during a meeting here with the

North's media delegation, according to state media Saturday.

Liu Qibao, chief of the publicity department of China's Communist Party, made the remarks on Friday when he met with the North Korean delegation led by Kim Won-sok, deputy editor of the North's ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun, Xinhua news agency reported.

"It's an unswerving principle of the Chinese Party and government to constantly consolidate and develop friendly cooperative relations with the DPRK," Liu was quoted as saying by Xinhua. DPRK is the acronym for the North's official name, Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Kim said North Korea "treasures the traditional friendship with China," while praising China's economic development, the report said. The North Korean delegation arrived in Beijing on Monday. (Yonhap News)