China, S Korea vow to promote political settlement of Koreas

SEOUL: Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special representative Yang Jiechi held talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the Blue House on Friday, with both sides pledging to promote a political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue.

Yang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the head of the General Office of the Central Committee for Foreign Affairs, extended Xi’s greetings to Moon. He said the aim of his trip is to implement the consensus reached between the two heads of state and enhance bilateral relations and strategic cooperation.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-South Korea strategic cooperative partnership, Yang said, adding that China is willing to work together with South Korea to bring forward a healthy and stable development of bilateral relations.

Yang expressed the hope for continued leading and guiding role of the summits of the heads of state of both countries, strengthened political communications, solidified mutual strategic trust, deepened mutually beneficial cooperation as well as accelerated cooperation and more alignment concerning the Belt and Road Initiative.

Yang informed Moon about the visit of the top leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un to China, saying that China has long supported the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. He added that China supports maintaining peace on the peninsula and settling conflict through dialogue.