25th December 2024 – (Beijing) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed Beijing’s commitment to collaborating with South Korea to foster a stable and robust development of their strategic cooperative partnership during a recent phone call with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul.
Wang highlighted the importance of China and South Korea as friendly neighbours and significant cooperative partners. He noted that bilateral relations have shown promising signs of improvement, benefiting both nations’ citizens. He reiterated China’s readiness to uphold the original intentions behind their diplomatic ties, emphasising good neighbourliness and friendship.
The foreign minister outlined China’s willingness to utilise bilateral dialogue and cooperation mechanisms to strengthen interactions across various sectors, enhance people-to-people exchanges, and build mutual understanding and trust. He acknowledged recent changes in South Korea’s domestic landscape, affirming China’s principle of non-interference in internal affairs while expressing confidence in the South Korean people’s capacity to manage their own issues.
Despite challenges such as rising protectionism, trade between the two nations continues to flourish, revealing a solid foundation for economic cooperation. Wang welcomed South Korean firms to deepen their engagement in the Chinese market and pledged to coordinate efforts to ensure the stability of global industrial and supply chains.
Cho, in response, reaffirmed South Korea’s commitment to nurturing the current positive momentum in bilateral relations. He expressed a desire to enhance strategic communication, increase high-level exchanges, and facilitate personnel interactions. Cho echoed satisfaction with the ongoing expansion of economic ties and the aim of achieving mutually beneficial outcomes.
Both ministers acknowledged the significance of trilateral cooperation among China, Japan, and South Korea for regional peace and stability. They also discussed multilateral cooperation frameworks, with China supporting South Korea’s hosting of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting next year.
Additionally, the conversation covered the situation on the Korean Peninsula, where Wang reiterated China’s advocacy for dialogue and consultation as the means to resolve issues, affirming China’s commitment to playing a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in the region.
