Yoon, Xi voice hope for stronger relations on 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties

All News 19:30 August 24, 2022

SEOUL, Aug. 24 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk-yeol and Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged letters on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral ties Wednesday, voicing hope for new and stronger relations in the years to come, the presidential office said.

In his letter, Yoon assessed the rapid development in bilateral ties across various sectors over the past 30 years.

He said he hopes the two countries will seek "new directions of cooperation" for the next 30 years based on a spirit of "mutual respect and reciprocity," as discussed during their phone conversation on March 25, the presidential office said.

In the process, Yoon said he "looks forward to South Korea-China relations developing one step further beyond the quantitative growth they have seen so far to growth in quality," it said.

Yoon proposed increasing high-level exchanges and making specific progress in areas of cooperation, such as economic security, including supply chain issues, the environment and climate change.

He also voiced hope for China's constructive role in resolving the issue of North Korea's nuclear weapons program, while looking forward to meeting in person with Xi to discuss the next 30 years in bilateral ties.

Xi, in his letter, assessed that the two countries have developed their relations in all directions while maintaining openness and engagement through reciprocal cooperation over the past 30 years.

He said it is important for the international community, including South Korea and China, to unite and cooperate at a critical period marked by "grand revolution" and a "pandemic of the century."

Xi "expressed hope for strengthening strategic communication with President Yoon and building a substantive friendship with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations as the new starting point," the presidential office said.