Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung announced on Sunday that his recent summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping has helped restore and strengthen the bilateral relations between South Korea and China. In a Facebook post, shared in both Korean and Chinese, Lee emphasized the importance of their discussions, which took place on Saturday during Xi’s first visit to South Korea in 11 years.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee highlighted the significance of the South Korea-China summit, describing it as a pivotal moment in fully restoring the bilateral ties and setting the stage for mutual prosperity as strategic cooperative partners. He echoed Xi’s sentiment that the two nations are “close neighbors who cannot move apart and inseparable partners in cooperation.”
Lee further elaborated on Xi’s assertion, indicating that South Korea and China have successfully overcome differences in social systems and ideologies, fostering trust over an extended period. Despite facing various challenges, Lee expressed confidence th
at the deep-rooted friendship and shared history between the two countries remain steadfast.
In his statement, Lee committed to achieving “tangible results” that would benefit the citizens of both nations, with a focus on improving livelihoods as a fundamental priority. During Xi’s visit, the renewal of the currency swap deal between South Korea and China was announced, which Lee believes will stabilize financial markets and enhance trade. Additionally, he pledged to advance negotiations on a free trade agreement concerning services and investments to further solidify economic cooperation.
Lee also expressed his hope to visit China in the near future to continue fostering closer ties between the two countries.