China-South Korea relations should make sound, steady progress: Wang Yi

JAKARTA -- The relations between China and South Korea can and should make sound, steady and long-term progress, Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi said.

While meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin Friday on the sidelines of a series of ASEAN foreign ministers' meetings, Wang said China and South Korea are close neighbors and inseparable partners with people-to-people exchanges for thousands of years.

China's good-neighborly and friendly policy toward South Korea is consistent and stable, he said, adding that it is not targeted at any third party and should not be influenced by any third party.

Recently, China-South Korea relations have faced increasing difficulties and challenges, which is not in the fundamental and long-term interests of the two peoples, said Wang.

China is ready to work with the South Korean side in the spirit of mutual respect and "harmony in diversity" to strengthen communication, rebuild mutual trust and put the China-South Korea strategic cooperative partnership back on track with sound and steady development, he added.

Wang said the two sides should leverage their geographical proximity, economic integration and cultural connectivity, dispel disturbances, resume exchanges at all levels and firmly advance mutually beneficial cooperation, so as to inject more positive expectations into bilateral ties, bring more benefits to the two peoples, and make greater contribution to regional peace, stability and development.

Noting that the Taiwan question is at the very core of China's core interests, and bears on the political foundation and basic trust in China-South Korea relations, Wang expressed the hope that South Korea will abide by the one-China principle and handle it prudently and properly.

For his part, Park said South Korea and China are close neighbors and strategic cooperative partners, and the smooth development of bilateral relations serves the common interests of both sides and will also contribute to regional peace and stability.

South Korea always respects the one-China principle, which is a position that remains unchanged, he added.

South Korea is willing to work with China to further deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields based on the principle of mutual respect and reciprocity, so as to open a new chapter of bilateral ties in the next 30 years, said Park.

South Korea looks forward to maintaining high-level exchanges and communication, strengthening cooperation in the industrial and supply chain, and invigorating cultural and people-to-people exchanges, Park added.

The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern, including the situation on the Korean Peninsula.