China Thursday reaffirmed its position of supporting the stability
and national reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula.
During his meeting with visiting Minister of Foreign Affairs and
Trade of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Choi Sung-Hong, Premier Zhu
Rongji said that China will continue to do all it can for the
maintenance of peace and stability on the peninsula, adding there
were no hidden agendas.
But he also stressed the pivotal role of the ROK and the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in efforts, expressing the hope
that the two sides will exert joint efforts for peace and stability
on the Korean Peninsula.
According to a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhu welcomed the
upcoming visit by the ROK presidential envoy to Pyongyang, the DPRK
capital.
He
backed the resumption of talks between the two sides and expressed
the hope that the ROK will continue its relaxed policy towards the
DPRK.
ROK envoy Lim Kong-won is scheduled to leave for Pyongyang on April
3. He will carry a letter from ROK President Kim Dae-Jung to DPRK
leader Kim Jong-Il.
China's stance on the Korean Peninsula was appreciated by the ROK
guests, according to the Chinese spokesman.
The ROK will continue its relaxed policy, resume talks at an early
date and properly handle relevant issues to keep up the momentum
for national reconciliation, Choi told his Chinese counterpart Tang
Jiaxuan at a separate meeting held earlier Thursday.
Thursday's meetings took place during the celebration of the 10th
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the
ROK.
On
Wednesday, as a part of the celebration, the Year of China-ROK
National Exchange kicked off in Beijing.
Backed by both Premier Zhu Rongji and his ROK counterpart Lee
Hanh-dong, a seminar on Sino-ROK economic cooperation was held in
Beijing on Wednesday.
Hailing the rapid development in bilateral ties in the past decade,
Zhu said Thursday that Sino-ROK relations have entered a new stage
of development and called for greater efforts.
He
highlighted trade and economic ties between the two countries,
saying that China's entry to the World Trade Organization has
offered a broader perspective for economic cooperation.
Also speaking highly of current bilateral ties, Choi said the ROK
is willing to take the opportunity of the 10th anniversary
celebration to further develop comprehensive and reciprocal
cooperation with China.
In
a related development, Zhu told ROK participants in a Sino-ROK
economic symposium in Beijing Thursday that China encourages ROK
entrepreneurs to invest more in China.
He
said business circles in the two countries are highly complementary
and have many things to learn from each other and cooperation
potential is therefore high.
(China
Daily March 29, 2002)