Li Changchun, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), on Tuesday called for stronger economic and trade ties between China and South Korea and urged their business communities to work together to help promote the strategic cooperation between the two nations.

Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, delievers a speech during a luncheon with chiefs of four South Korean business lobby groups in Seoul, South Korea, on April 7, 2009. [Liu Jiansheng/Xinhua]

Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the call in an address at a welcome luncheon for him hosted by four Korean business groups: the Korea Foreign Trade Association, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Federation of the Korean Industries, and the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Businesses.??

Li praised the development of bilateral ties since China and South Korea established diplomatic ties 17 years ago. During the past 17 years, bilateral relations have witnessed rapid development and cooperation and exchanges expanded in a comprehensive manner, which has benefited the two countries and the region, he said.

The Communist Party of China and the Chinese government attach great importance to the ties with South Korea and are willing to work with South Korea to continue strengthening and deepening the strategic cooperation, he said.

Li spoke about China's stand regarding the current global financial crisis, the measures it has adopted to counter the crisis and its participation in international cooperation.

The London summit of the Group of 20 yielded pragmatic results, he said. At the summit, Chinese President Hu Jintao's speech on strengthening macro-policy coordination, reforming international financial institutions and improving financial regulation, played a constructive role in the outcomes of the meeting, Li said.

He said that Hu and his South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-bak, at their meeting in London, agreed to work to deepen the pragmatic cooperation in various fields between the two countries and push forward the bilateral relations.

Li suggested both sides make efforts to deepen the mutually beneficial cooperation to ensure the smooth growth of bilateral trade, enhance policy coordination to promote financial cooperation, work out new ways to boost mutual investment and strengthen multilateral cooperation to improve the international trade environment.

He also proposed entrepreneurs of the two countries continue to contribute to the bilateral strategic cooperative partnership, make new efforts to promote the mutual understanding and friendship between China and South Korea, facilitate the exchanges between the younger generation and promote the cultural exchanges between the two nations.

South Korea is the last leg of Li's four-nation tour, which has already taken him to Australia, Myanmar and Japan.

(Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2009)