Chinese, S.Korean Top Legislators Meet in Seoul

Li Peng Meets with South Korea's National Assembly Speaker

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Li Peng, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC) said in Seoul Thursday that China would like to see early resumption of dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington.

Li made the remarks when he met South Korean National Assembly (parliament) Speaker Lee Man-sup Thursday morning.

At the meeting, Li spoke highly of the positive changes on the Korean Peninsula after the historic inter-Korean summit between South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) leader Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang last June.

As DPRK and South Korea are playing a major role in the Korean peninsula affairs, Li said, the eventual resolution of the Korean Peninsula issue depends on dialogue and cooperation between the two sides.

As long as the two sides continue to improve their relations, the trend of relaxation of tension on the Korean Peninsula will be irreversible, the Chinese leader said.

The relaxation of tension on the Korean Peninsula is in the common interest of the people of the two sides, said Li, who arrived here for a five-day official goodwill visit at the invitation of Lee Man-sup.

As a close and friendly neighbor of the Korean Peninsula, Li stressed, China has all along been committed to maintaining peace and stability on the Peninsula in the hope that the hard-won relaxation process on the Peninsula will sustain and continue to develop.

On the bilateral relations, Li emphasized that he was very satisfied with the development of the Chinese-South Korean ties.

Thanks to the joint efforts of the two sides, great achievements have been made in all fields between China and South Korea since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1992, said Li, who visited South Korea in 1994 as China's premier.

In 1998, the two nations established a cooperative partnership oriented towards the 21 century and agreed last year to push the partnership to a new stage featuring all-round cooperation, he said.

The development of the Sino-South Korean cooperative partnership has not only brought about real interests to the two countries and two peoples, but also contributed to peace and stability and development in the region, said the NPC chairman.

"China will firmly support the South and North of the Korean Peninsula to improve and develop their relations through dialogue and will firmly support the ultimate goal of independence and peaceful reunification of the Peninsula," said the Chinese top legislator.

On his part, Lee commended China's very important role in the reconciliation process.He expressed his hope that China will continue to play its important role in achieving peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and in the realization of independence and peaceful reunification of the Peninsula.

In their talks, the Chinese and South Korean leaders asked the new U.S. government to play its constructive role in the reconciliation process of the Korean Peninsula.

They also urged Japan to hear the just demand of China and South Korea and commit itself to telling the truth about its history.

During his five-day visit, Li is also scheduled to meet South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, Prime Minister Lee Han-dong and other political and business leaders.

South Korea is the last leg of the NPC chairman's three-nation Asian trip, which has already taken him to Cambodia and Brunei.