President Xi Jinping told a rare high-level delegation from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on Wednesday that China's stance on the Korean Peninsula is consistent and clear.

Speaking with the delegation led by career diplomat Ri Su-yong, Xi said that China hopes relevant parties will remain calm and show restraint, enhance communication and dialogue, and maintain regional peace and stability.

The delegation arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a three-day visit. It was the first visit by a top DPRK official to China since the DPRK conducted a series of nuclear tests and missile launches, defying sanctions by world powers, earlier this year. Ri served as the DPRK's foreign minister from April 2014 until he was named a member of the politburo during the recent Workers' Party congress.

Ri transmitted a message from DPRK leader Kim Jong-un to Xi, in which he expressed willingness to work with China to strengthen and develop DPRK-China traditional friendship, and maintain peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and the Northeast Asian region. Ri also briefed Xi about the 7th congress of DPRK Workers' Party held in early May.

The visit reflected that Kim and the DPRK Workers' Party Central Committee attached great importance to the relationship between the two parties and the two countries, Xi said. He extended his wishes that the DPRK people could make more achievements in developing the economy and improving people's livelihoods.