Xi: China willing to work with ROK to improve ties

(Photo/CGTN)

China values its relations with the Republic of Korea (ROK) and is willing to work with Seoul to bring bilateral ties back to the normal track, Chinese President Xi Jinping told ROK President Moon Jae-in's special envoy Lee Hae-chan in Beijing on Friday.

As neighbors, China and the ROK have made immerse progress on bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties 25 years ago, Xi said, adding that the two countries have made significant contributions to safeguarding peace and stability in the region.

"The China-ROK relations are at a crucial stage at the moment," the Chinese president stressed. "China attaches great importance to its relations with the ROK, and would like to work with the ROK side to safeguard the hard-won achievements made in the development of bilateral ties."

The two sides should consolidate the mutual political trust and properly handle divergence on the basis of mutual understanding and mutual respect so as to bring the China-ROK relations back to the normal track at an early date, Xi added.

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi told Lee that he hoped the ROK could respect China's major interests and concerns over the deployment of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in the country, saying it was a threat to China's security and would do nothing to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.