President Hu Jintao said in Beijing Monday that the relationship
between China and South Korea has seen rapid development over the
past year.
China is ready to join efforts with South Korea in the new year
to upgrade the all-round cooperative partnership between the two
countries to a new height, he said.
Hu made the remarks during a meeting with Kim One-ki, speaker of
the National Assembly of South Korea, who is now in Beijing for a
visit to China from January 8 to 14.
The all-round cooperative partnership between two nations has
recorded a rapid growth over the past year as bilateral cooperation
in such areas as politics, economy, trade, culture, education,
science, technology and tourism showed good momentum, he said.
Hu said the two countries have maintained sound coordination and
cooperation on such major issues as the nuclear issue of the Korean
Peninsula, regional cooperation and the reform of the United
Nations Security Council.
The heads of state of the two countries have summed up the
results and experience and set the direction and goals of the
growth of bilateral relations, Hu said. This added a new impetus to
the all-round cooperative partnership of the two countries.
In the new year of 2006, Hu said, China is ready to join efforts
with South Korea to earnestly implement the consensus reached by
the heads of state and the agreements signed by the two
countries.
Hu also made positive comments about the contributions that the
legislatures of the two countries made to the growth of bilateral
relations. He extended congratulations on the establishment of a
regular exchange mechanism between the legislatures of the two
countries.
Kim said that since South Korea and China forged diplomatic ties
13 years ago, the friendly relations between the two countries have
been growing at an unprecedented pace. Trade volume between the two
countries has exceeded US$100 billion every year, he noted. And the
number of travelers across the borders of the two countries also
set a record in growth rate.
South Korea is fully satisfied with the development of bilateral
relations and is ready to work with China to further advance the
all-round development of bilateral relations, Kim said.
Kim spoke highly of China's achievement in economic growth and
its contribution to the prosperity and development of the Northeast
Asia region.
Kim also voiced his joy for the establishment of the regular
exchange mechanism between the South Korean National Assembly and
the Chinese National People's Congress. He also expressed the
willingness to step up friendly exchanges and cooperation between
the two legislatures at all levels so as to add a strong impetus to
the expansion of bilateral relations.
(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2006)
