Xi extends hand of friendship

Pursuing 'positive' relations with ROK

President Xi Jinping urged the Republic of Korea to meet China halfway and to translate Seoul's emphasis on ties with Beijing into concrete policies and actions to uphold the general direction of friendly cooperation.

Xi, who made the comments during talks with ROK Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on the sidelines of the Asian Games' opening in Hangzhou on Saturday, pointed out that positive relations have remained the norm since the countries established ties in 1992.

He noted that China and the ROK are, and will remain, close neighbors and inseparable partners, and the rapid development of ties over the past decades has delivered significant benefits to the two peoples.

A stable and substantive relationship remains in line with both countries' common interests and contributes to regional peace and development, Xi said, adding that China is willing to work with the ROK to advance their shared strategic partnership.

The Chinese president stressed that Beijing adheres to a policy of good neighborly friendship toward Seoul and values the ROK's willingness to cooperate with China. The countries share close economic ties and deeply integrated industrial and supply chains. And China's forward movement along its own modernization path will not only bring progress to its 1.4 billion people but will, in turn, certainly unleash enormous market opportunities, he said. As such, Beijing and Seoul can expand cooperation and seek prosperity together.

Han stressed that maintaining high-level exchanges between the ROK and China is conducive to bilateral relations and to addressing challenges.

He added that Seoul is willing to work with China to develop a healthy and mature relationship, and both sides should enhance economic and trade cooperation, as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges.