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China, ROK to Strengthen Ties
Jiang Zemin Meets ROK Guest
Chinese President Jiang Zemin Monday called on the statesmen of China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) to contribute to the all-round development of bilateral ties in the 21st century.
In a meeting with Kim Joong Kwon, Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) of the ROK, Jiang spoke highly of the Sino-ROK relations and the traditional friendship between the two countries.
The past eight years of diplomatic ties between China and the ROK saw rapid growth in bilateral exchanges and cooperation in political, economical, cultural and educational and other sectors, Jiang said.
He noted the frequent exchanges of visits between the leaders of the two countries and their exchanges of views on international and regional issues of common concern have played an irreplaceable role in promoting the friendly cooperative relations. "I am looking forward to meeting President Kim Dae-jung again in Shanghai this fall," he said.
China and ROK, two neighboring countries, are both important nations in the region, Jiang said. "We have every reason and very good conditions to further improve the bilateral ties. Statesmen of our two countries should therefore make joint efforts to promote bilateral cooperation in politics, trade and economic sectors as well as science and technology," he said.
Jiang reiterated China's consistent stand on the issue of the Korean Peninsular, saying that China has paid close attention to the changes and development of the situation there.
He said China is delighted to see the positive developments on the Peninsular since the historic North-South summit last June.
Jiang expressed the belief that it is an "unalterable and irresistible trend" for the two sides on the Peninsular to improve relations and eventually achieve a peaceful reunification on their own initiatives.
Jiang called on the international community to make more positive efforts that are conducive to the detente and stability, as well as the improvement of relation on the Peninsular.
"China will consistently and actively support every effort by the two sides on the Peninsular to improve relations and strive for a peaceful reunification," he said.
Kim said that Korea and China, as close neighbors, have a long history of friendly exchanges. In the past nine years since the two countries were diplomatically linked, there have been marked expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, especially in economic cooperation and trade.
In the new millennium, the two countries should further enhance cooperation, so as to elevate the bilateral friendly relations to a new high, he said.
Kim also noted that during this visit, he witnessed China's political stability and the noticeable economic achievements. He and his delegation were deeply impressed by China's thriving and prosperous scene, he added.
The stability and rapid development of China is beneficial to the peace of Asia and the world at large, he said.
The MDP, founded in January 2000, holds majority seats of the ROK congress. Its predecessor was the National Congress for New Politics.
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