Photo:VCG

Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and China's Foreign Minister, held a phone conversation with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin on Thursday. The Chinese top diplomat said that the two sides should adhere to the original intention of establishing their diplomatic ties, prevent interference from external factors, avoid drawing ideological boundaries, and jointly promote the steady and long-term development of bilateral relations.

Wang said that China maintains a continuous and stable policy toward South Korea and the development of bilateral relations has an internal driving force and inevitable logic, which should not be influenced by any third party.

Both China and South Korea should adhere to the original intention of establishing diplomatic relations, maintain the correct direction of friendly cooperation, continuously enhance mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries, guard against external interference, refrain from drawing ideological boundaries, and jointly promote the steady and long-term development of bilateral relations, ushering in the next 30 years that are more sustainable, resilient, and characterized by even closer cooperation, Wang noted.

Wang added that mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation is the cornerstone of bilateral relations. China's economy has huge development potential and vast market. It is speeding up the building of a new open system of economy at a higher level. Expanding the cooperation between the two countries will help South Korea achieve sustainable prosperity and development.

It is hoped that South Korea will enhance its strategic independence, resist various forms of anti-globalization measures, and "decoupling and severing supply chains," deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in diverse fields, and deliver greater benefits to the peoples of both countries, Wang said, noting that China supports South Korea as the chair for China-Japan-South Korea cooperation in playing an active role to promote trilateral cooperation.

Park Jin expressed sincere condolences over the recent floods in some parts of China and wished the 19th Asian Games to be held in Hangzhou a complete success and a grand event of peace and unity.

Park said that South Korea and China are close neighbors and important partners. This year marks the commencement of the second 30 years since the establishment of China-South Korea diplomatic relations.

According to Park, the Yoon Suk-yeol government speaks highly of the fruitful results achieved in bilateral relations since the establishment of the diplomatic ties between South Korea and China, and will continue to attach great importance to and develop the bilateral relations.

South Korea looks forward to closer high-level communication with China, strengthening cultural and people-to-people exchanges, improving mutual understanding and actively building a sound and mature China-South Korea relationship, Park said.

Park said South Korea has no intention to engage in country-specific decoupling on the issue of production and supply chain, and "de-sinicization" is neither possible nor feasible, adding that South Korea is willing to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with China, keep the production and supply chain stable and unimpeded, and jointly promote the regional economic growth.

During the phone conversation, the two sides also exchanged views on Japan's dujmping of nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the sea and the Korean Peninsula issue.

Global Times