Head of North Korea's parliament Kim Young-nam has expressed hope for Pyongyang and Beijing to continuously seek friendly ties.

According to China’s Xinhua News Agency, Kim made the comment when he received the credentials from China’s new ambassador to North Korea Liu Xiaoming at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang on Monday.

Xinhua quoted Kim as telling Liu that strong North-China relations will not only benefit the people of the two countries but also contribute to promoting peace and stability both in the region and in the world as a whole.

Kim stressed that maintaining friendly relations is Pyongyang’s stance on China, adding that Pyongyang places much importance on the close bilateral ties.

In response, Liu said that Beijing is also determined to push friendly ties forward with the North.

Xinhua, however, stopped short of mentioning whether Liu delivered any messages from Chinese President Hu Jintao or Premier Wen Jiabao to the top North Korean official.