Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao
and South Korean president, Roh Moo-hyun, pledged to make joint
efforts for the sustained development of the comprehensive
partnership of cooperation between the two countries. Hu put
forward a four-point proposal on further development of all-round
cooperation between the two countries.
During their meeting in Seoul, Hu said that since the
establishment of comprehensive partnership of cooperation, the two
countries have entered into cooperation in all fields of endeavor
and maintained close communication and coordination on
international and regional issues.
Hu, who is on a state visit, said Beijing and Seoul now share
more common interests as their ties become more and more
important.
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Bilateral cooperation has not only fueled the development of both
countries, but also made important contributions to safeguarding
peace and stability on the Korean Peninsular and in northeast Asia,
Hu said.
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Hu put forward a four-point proposal on the further development of
all-round cooperation between the two countries:
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-- to enhance political mutual trust by establishing a hot-line at
the foreign ministerial level for timely exchange of views on major
issues of common concern;
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-- to double the current annual trade volume of US$100 billion by
the end of 2012;
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-- to expand exchanges in the fields of culture, education, science
and technology, health and quarantine, and environmental
protection, to increase contact between the two countries' young
people, and to jointly sponsor the Year of China-South Korea
Exchanges in 2007; and
-- to strengthen consultation on international affairs and work
jointly for a new world political and economic order that is fair
and just.
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Roh said that he fully agrees with the four-point proposal raised
by Hu and stressed that the two countries have many common
interests and views on important issues.
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Roh said that Seoul attaches great importance to its relations with
China and firmly adheres to the one-China principle, a stance which
he said will not change.
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Roh announced his government's decision to recognize China's market
economy status during the talks.
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He said that his government will actively study the establishment
of a free trade zone between the two countries, work for the
expansion of cooperation between their enterprises and properly
handle disputes arising amidst the rapid development of such
cooperation.
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Roh also hailed China's role in tackling the nuclear issue of the
Korean Peninsular, and Hu reaffirmed Beijing's principled stance
advocating a peaceful solution to the issue through dialogue and a
nuclear-free Korean Peninsular.
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Hu expressed the hope that all countries concerned will continue to
make joint efforts to achieve new progress in the six-party
talks.
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After their meeting, Hu and Roh attended the signing ceremony of a
number of bilateral documents on the promotion of trade and
investment, cooperation in breeding tigers and other issues.
Earlier in the day, Hu also met representatives of several South
Korean groups dedicated to promoting ties with China and discussed
with them ways to further develop bilateral relations.
(Xinhua News Agency November 17, 2005)
