China consistently supports the two halves of the Korean Peninsula to increase dialogue and improve ties and hopes to see the peninsula maintain peace and stability, President Jiang Zemin said in Beijing on September 3.
Jiang, also the general-secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting Lee Hoi-chang, honorary president of the Grand National Party (GNP) of the Republic of Korea (ROK), and his party.
With concerted efforts from both sides, the present situation in the peninsula has made new progress which pleased China, Jiang said.
He also praised the growth of Sino-ROK ties and the positive outcome achieved in political, economic, trade, scientific and technical, cultural and other areas during the past decade after the two neighboring nations forged diplomatic relations.
The good-neighborly, friendly relations have boosted their common prosperity and development in the two countries and in the whole region, he said.
Meanwhile, he added, inter-party exchanges have also kept deepening amid smooth growth in bilateral relations.
The CPC is willing to continue all exchanges with major ROK political parties, including the GNP, to contribute anew to the healthy development of China-ROK ties and peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula, he said.
Lee hailed the rapid growth of bilateral ties during the past 10 years. He particularly highly commended the important contributions made by President Jiang and the Chinese government to the peace process in the Korean Peninsula, and peace and stability in northeast Asia and the world at large.
Moreover, he expressed the hope that the upcoming 16th CPC National Congress would be crowned with success and the good-neighborly ROK-China ties would continue to grow.
Among those present at the meeting were Dai Bingguo, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, and KimHa Joong, ROK ambassador to China.
(Xinhua News Agency September 3, 2002)
