China willing to promote strategic cooperative partnership with South Korea: President Xi

By Anadolu staff

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday said that his country is willing to promote a strategic cooperative partnership with South Korea.

During his meeting with South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in Hangzhou, Xi said that China and South Korea are “inseparable neighbors and inseparable partners,” according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement.

"China adheres to the good-neighborly and friendly policy towards South Korea and values South Korea’s positive willingness to commit to China-South Korea cooperation," he said.

"It is hoped that South Korea and China will meet each other halfway, embody the importance and development of China-South Korea relations in policies and actions, respect each other, and maintain the general direction of friendly cooperation," Xi added.

Han, for his part, said that his country is willing to work with China to develop “healthy and mature” South Korea-China relations.

"Currently, the international community is facing many challenges. Maintaining high-level exchanges between South Korea and China is conducive to promoting the development of bilateral relations and cooperating to cope with challenges," the South Korean premier said.

Earlier, Han arrived in China to attend the opening ceremony of the Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Speaking at a welcoming banquet for foreign leaders who arrived to attend the opening ceremony of Asian Games, Xi said: "We should use sports to promote peace, unity and inclusiveness."

"On this day of harvest and reunion, the cauldron of the Asian Games will light up again in China. The Asian Games embodies the Asian people's shared desire for peace, unity and inclusiveness," he added.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid