Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met his South Korean
counterpart Han Duck-soo in Seoul on Tuesday afternoon, with both
sides expressing willingness to boost bilateral and regional
cooperation.
Wen, who arrived here on Tuesday morning for an official visit,
said China is satisfied with the rapid development of cooperation
in various fields between China and South Korea since the two
countries established diplomatic ties 15 years ago.
"We are ready to join efforts with South Korea to continuously
push the Sino-South Korean all-round partnership of cooperation
forward," Wen said, adding that enhancing and developing bilateral
ties is China's set foreign policy.
At present, both sides should focus on the activities of
celebrating the 15th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-South
Korean diplomatic ties and the China-South Korea Exchange Year, in
order to increase communication and cooperation in the fields of
economy, trade, culture, education and tourism, Wen said.
The Chinese premier highlighted the implementation of a
development layout of long-and-medium-term economic and trade
cooperation between the two countries, saying that the scale of
cooperation should be expanded and the level of cooperation should
be upgraded.
As for the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, Wen said
coordination and cooperation between the two countries should be
strengthened to achieve the denuclearization of the Korean
Peninsula and the establishment of regional peace and stability as
soon as possible.
For his part, Han said that Sino-South Korean ties have enjoyed
rapid development and has transformed into an all-round partnership
of cooperation in the past 15 years, thereby setting an example for
state-to-state cooperation.
The China-South Korea Exchange Year is very important to
bilateral cooperation, Han added, vowing to join efforts with China
to make it a successful event.
South Korea hopes to continue to push forward the joint study of
building a free trade zone with China, as well as to promote
bilateral cooperation in trade, telecommunication, nuclear energy
and railway, to enhance communication and coordination in regional
and world affairs, the South Korean prime minister said.
(Xinhua News Agency April 11, 2007)
