China vows to enhance ties with new NK leadership
China's president on Saturday welcomed North Korea's election of a new slate of communist party leaders and promised to continue close ties, an expected but important affirmation of the two countries' relationship from the North's closest ally.
The comments were Hu Jintao's first on the new leadership since a key ruling party conference in North Korea at which the youngest son of ruler Kim Jong Il was introduced to the world and given key posts that confirmed speculation he was being groomed to eventually succeed his ailing 68-year-old father. (AP)
