Xi-Park meeting sends new signals for NE Asia

The talks between the presidents of China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) have sent signals that the two strategic partners will do more to build a stable and prosperous northeast Asia. [Special coverage]

In his first trip as Chinese President to the Korean peninsula, and his first overseas trip exclusively to one country, Xi told his ROK counterpart Park Geun-hye the two sides should become partners that share common development, promote regional peace and Asia's revitalization, and boost world prosperity.

While China and the ROK have for long towered in the Asian landscape as pillars of development, such a partnership will play a vital role in ensuring the growth and prosperity of the region.

More than 200 business leaders jointed Xi's tour, the largest delegation of its kind to visit the ROK, highlighting China's desire to enhance economic ties with its neighbor.

The China-ROK free trade agreement has optimistic prospects as Beijing and Seoul are making efforts to conclude negotiations before the end of this year.

Once established, the FTA will provide a driving force for the progress of a China-Japan-ROK FTA and economic integration in East Asia.

The agreement to achieve yuan-to-won trading will mitigate exchange rate risks and help bilateral trade growth in a more predictable way, thus paving the way to reach the 300-billion-U.S.-dollar annual trade target for 2015.

While the two countries' efforts to pursue common interests in economic fields will benefit Asian countries, the promise to cooperate on political and security fronts is also good news for the region.

Beijing and Seoul vowed to live up to their shared and inescapable responsibility in maintaining regional tranquility. The consensus is essential as northeast Asia today is far from stable.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is promoting rightist policies and denying Japan's wartime atrocities. His administration's reinterpretation of the pacifist constitution has posed a grave menace to regional stability. Recent war games and missile tests on the Korean Peninsula are also worrisome to the region.

During the meeting, Xi said the two countries could jointly hold memorial activities next year on the occasions of the victory of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and of the liberation of the Korean Peninsula from Japan's colonial rule.

Both countries have underscored their firm objection to the development of nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula. And Beijing spoke highly of Seoul's proactive efforts in improving relations between the north and the south to realize reconciliation.

Based on mutual trust and respect, the China-ROK cooperation on these core concerns will help arrest security hazards and defuse tension, injecting positive energy to the peace and stability of northeast Asia.

Previously, the relationship between the ROK and China was termed "hot in economy, cold in politics." The concrete common measures the two state leaders agree to take will undoubtedly improve bilateral political ties to become "hot in economy, warm in politics."

Xi has said the visits between leaders of the two countries are like "drop-ins among relatives."

As the two sides pool their wisdom and resources to solve common problems, the ties between "relatives" will be based on more solid ground and provide a model relationship that countries in the region can learn from.