China South Korea File photo:CGTN

Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming said in an interview with the media he believed the recent negative sentiment among the Chinese and South Korean public is temporary and hoped that all sectors in the two countries will make joint efforts to bring the bilateral friendship back to the right track as soon as possible.

Xing's remarks were made amid growing negative sentiments among some netizens in both countries on the latest controversies which erupted after some of the short-track speed skating events at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. 

In an interview with Aju Business Daily published on Monday, Xing said the controversies surrounding the Beijing Winter Olympics were deliberately fuelled by some, which caused the differences of opinion among the people in the two countries to be magnified and deepened the misunderstanding. 

The two countries are close neighbors with thousands of years of friendly exchanges, similar cultures, and emotional empathy, which creates firm bond among the two peoples and is a treasure shared by them, he said.

Xing said he was impressed by the scene of Korean and Chinese athletes taking pictures together after winning silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the short track speed skating women's 3,000m relay on February 13, which he said is what the Olympic spirit is all about.

Xing believed that the recent spat among some Chinese and South Korean public  is temporary and he called for joint efforts to push forward the recovery of the friendship of the two sides, according to the report.

He pointed out that the media should in particular step up objective and rational reporting, refrain from emotional words and actions, and actively remove misunderstandings and estrangement between the Chinese and South Korean peoples. 

Chinese and South Korean netizens have become embroiled in a series of online disputes in recent months concerning various topics such as a cultural spat over "kimchi" and "hanbok." The disputes grew more heated during the Beijing Winter Olympics over the skating event controversies. 

In response to concerns over spats between netizens, Xing noted that some one-sided media reports and internet haters had mainly contributed to the outbreak of negative sentiments in both countries. "I feel very sorry and distressed," he was quoted as saying in the interview. 

"China and South Korea have experienced ups and downs since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties 30 years ago, but friendly cooperation has always been the mainstream and trend of bilateral relations. I hope that netizens of the two countries can view the relevant issues in a more rational and calm way and jointly safeguard the hard-won China-South Korea friendship," he said in the report. 

He noted that the Chinese Embassy will continue to serve as a bridge of communication and understanding and make unremitting efforts to promote bilateral relations and friendship between the Chinese and South Korean peoples.

Global Times