Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy Han Zheng (L), who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Seoul, South Korea, Feb. 8, 2018. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy Han Zheng has met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, respectively, before the opening of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. [Special coverage]
Han, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, exchanged views with them on issues of China-South Korea ties, the Korean Peninsula situation, winter Olympics and China-UN cooperation, reaching positive consensus during his trip.
FURTHER ENHANCING CHINA-SOUTH KOREA TIES
Han met with Moon Jae-in on Thursday and conveyed Xi's greetings to Moon and Xi's wishes that the PyeongChang Winter Olympics would achieve a great success.
China and South Korea are close neighbors geographically and natural partners. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992, their relationship has achieved development in an all-round manner, Han said.
Recalling Moon's successful state visit to China in December and his telephone conversation with Xi at the beginning of this year, Han said the two leaders had reached important consensus on developing bilateral ties as well as strengthening coordination on key international and regional issues.
Guided by the consensus of the two leaders, China is willing to work with South Korea to insist on mutual respect and support, fully embark on communication and dialogue at all levels, further stimulate exchanges and cooperation, properly handle sensitive issues, and increase mutual understanding and trust, in order to push for constant progress in bilateral relations, Han told Moon.
For his part, Moon asked Han to convey his cordial greetings to Xi and thanked Han for attending the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
South Korea and China are important neighbors and cooperative partners and bilateral ties are now at a new starting point, said the South Korean president.
South Korea is willing to work in a positive manner with China to enhance political mutual trust and friendship, boost exchanges at all levels, deepen pragmatic cooperation, strengthen coordination on international and regional affairs and push forward the development of the South Korea-China strategic cooperative partnership, Moon said.