(LEAD) China's top legislator visits South Korea

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with his arrival; CHANGES photo)

SEOUL, Sept. 15 (Yonhap) -- China's top legislator, Li Zhanshu, arrived in South Korea on Thursday for meetings with President Yoon Suk-yeol and National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo amid speculation he could discuss the possibility of President Xi Jinping visiting South Korea.

Li, China's third-highest-ranking official and chief of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), came here for a three-day visit arranged at Kim's invitation. He was accompanied by a 66-member entourage.

National Assembly Secretary-General Lee Kwang-jae greeted Li at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just south of Seoul.

"I wish that on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties, the relations would develop into better ones," Li was quoted as telling the secretary general.

Li shook hands with Lee though they had initially planned to bump elbows as a precaution against COVID-19.

Lee's appearance at the aiport came after criticism arose last month that no South Korean official was at the airport to greet U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi when she visited Seoul.

On Friday, he is expected to pay a visit to Yoon and hold talks with Kim.

The possibility of Xi's visit to South Korea could come up during the meeting with Yoon, while the talks with Kim are expected to focus on strengthening parliamentary cooperation between the two countries as Seoul and Beijing mark 30 years since establishing diplomatic ties this year.

Their meeting will be followed by a joint press briefing and a banquet.

During his stay here, Li is also expected to visit LG Science Park, a research and development campus of LG Group's eight affiliates, in western Seoul, according to industry sources.

Li's visit to Korea marks the first one by China's top legislator to the country since former legislator Zhang Dejiang's trip in 2015.

mlee@yna.co.kr
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