Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Mao Ning announced on Tuesday that Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, will lead a Party and government delegation to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to pay an official goodwill visit and attend the opening ceremony of "China-DPRK Friendship Year" from April 11 to 13.

The visit is at the invitation of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and the government of the DPRK, Mao told reporters at a regular news briefing in Beijing.

Mao said that China and the DPRK are friendly neighbors connected by mountains and rivers, and the two parties and countries have always maintained a long tradition of friendly exchanges.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the DPRK, and it is also designated as the "Year of China-DPRK Friendship" by the top leaders of both parties and countries.

According to Mao, the visit demonstrates the deep friendship between the two countries and the high attention China pays to the China-DPRK relationship.

"It is believed that, with the joint efforts of both sides, this visit will surely be a success that will help deepen and further develop bilateral ties," Mao said.