Xi attends grand welcome ceremony hosted by Kim in Pyongyang

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, attended a grand welcome ceremony hosted by Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) at the Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Monday.

President Xi arrived in the DPRK capital earlier on Monday to begin a two-day state visit at the invitation of Kim, marking his first trip to the DPRK in seven years.

As Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan arrived at the square by car, they were received by Kim and Ri Sol Ju .

The two couples then shook hands and exchanged greetings with members of their respective entourages. .

Xi and Kim stepped onto the reviewing stand. Amid a 21-gun salute, the military band played the national anthems of China and the DPRK.

Accompanied by Kim, Xi inspected the honor guard of the three services of the Korean People's Army.

Xi then watched a march-past with Kim.

Representatives from all walks of life in Pyongyang gathered at the square, along with children and youths holding flags, flowers and balloons, who extended a sincere welcome to the distinguished Chinese guests with warm applause and cheers.

The top leaders of the two parties and the two countries waved back to the welcoming crowds.

At the end of the ceremony, balloons carrying bilingual welcome banners were released into the sky.

Afterwards, Xi and Peng then proceeded to the Kumsusan State Guesthouse, with Kim and Ri personally accompanying them to the residence.

Crowds of people lined both sides of the streets to welcome Xi as the Chinese president's motorcade made its way to the Kim Il Sung Square and the Kumsusan State Guesthouse.

Xi attends grand welcome ceremony hosted by Kim in Pyongyang

Xi attends grand welcome ceremony hosted by Kim in Pyongyang

Xi attends grand welcome ceremony hosted by Kim in Pyongyang

Xi attends grand welcome ceremony hosted by Kim in Pyongyang

China on Monday began construction of a mega waterway project, including what is expected to become the world's largest inland ship lock, in response to the rising shipping demand along the Yangtze, the world's third-longest river.

Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, kicked off the construction of the Three Gorges new waterway project at a commencement ceremony in Yichang, central China's Hubei Province.

The 77.2-billion-yuan (about 11.3 billion U.S. dollars) project will add a five-tier, dual-track ship lock north of the existing lock at the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest water conservancy project, and upgrade navigation facilities at a smaller downstream dam.

Once completed, it will almost double the annual throughput capacity at the Three Gorges to 336 million tonnes.

It is the first major project to break ground during China's 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), a critical stage in the country's efforts to advance toward its goal of basically realizing socialist modernization by 2035.

China starts mega waterway project on world's third-longest river