North Korean broadcasters and news agencies reported Monday on Kim Jong-il's visit to China.

The North's Korean Central Television said that Kim made a five-day unofficial visit to China that started last Thursday. It cited Kim as saying during a welcome dinner hosted by Chinese President Hu Jintao that passing down the traditional North Korea-China friendship to future generations is a historical mission.

Korean Central TV said that in a speech at the welcome dinner on Friday, Kim remarked that advancing bilateral favorable ties over the course of generations is important to defending peace in Northeast Asia and the world.

President Hu reportedly responded saying that China will sincerely defend and develop cooperative ties with the North for the happiness of the two countries' people and to contribute to global peace and prosperity.