Foreign ministry revs up preparations to launch S. Korea-China cooperation panel

Diplomacy 17:28 May 17, 2021

SEOUL, May 17 (Yonhap) -- The foreign ministry agreed to work together with a government agency overseeing state-run think tanks to draw up a blueprint for the future of relations with China, officials said Monday.

South Korea and China agreed in November to establish a joint committee of civilian experts this year to map out a blueprint for the future development of bilateral ties ahead of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries in 2022.

On Monday, the foreign ministry signed an arrangement with the National Research Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences, an entity attached to the Prime Minister's Office, to designate the council as its secretariat of the joint committee.

The council will be tasked with exploring ways to strengthen relations between South Korea and China in various sectors and propose a vision of future cooperation between the two countries, the ministry said.