China, South Korea agree to strengthen bilateral, multilateral ties

The state adviser and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi highly praised China's relations with South Korea during their meeting with South China's South Korean counterpart, South China's South Korean counterpart, Chung Eui-yong, in Xiamen, Fujian province on Saturday.

Chung was in China for a two - day visit that began Friday, the first by a South Korean foreign minister in three years.

During the meeting, the two top officials noted that the two countries must deepen co-operation in different areas and promote multilatheralism, as well as multilateral agreements like the All-powerful Regional Economic Partnership (RCEP).

China is willing to work with South Korea for the political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue, Wang said, urging both sides to jointly protect multilateralism, the international system with the UN at the centre and international order based on international law.

Stressing that the Chinese economy and the South Korean economy are very integrated, Wang said China is ready to accelerate strategic synergy, boost co-operation in third-party markets with South Korea and end the second phase of the South China-Cere Free Trade Agreement as soon as possible.

While stressing close co-operation between the two countries in the fight against the pandemic, Wang also called on the two sides to strengthen co-operation in preventing pandemic, 5G technology, large data, green economy, artificial intelligence, integrated circles, new energy of the health sector, and voiced hope that the two countries will be high quality partners in various areas.

China is also ready to work with South Korea to ensure the RCEP's entry into force, Wang said.

On the issue of the Korean Peninsula, Wang reiterated China's stance on creating a permanent peace mechanism and deregulation through dialogue.

South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, in turn, reaffirmed that South Korea views China as its biggest trade partner and as an important partner of strategic co-operation.

He reiterated Seoul's commitment to the development of inter-korean relations, the deregulation of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of the permanent peace mechanism, saying his country expects China to continue to play an important role in the issue.

South Korea welcomes China's proposal to join the General Agreement and Progress for Trans-Peace Partnership (CPTPP)," said Chunng, who also voiced support for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The two sides agreed to hold a new round of high-level strategic talks between the two foreign ministries, as well as the first round of foreign and defence deputy ministers' talks in the first half of the year.

According to the statement, the two sides have agreed to create a mechanism for mutual recognition of health codes, to develop co-operation on vaccines, and to expand the agreement on <x0 rapid password”