SEOUL - Visiting Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang and the Republic of Korea (ROK)'s Parliamentary Speaker Park Hee-tae on Thursday pledged to enhance exchanges between the two countries.

During his meeting with Park, Li said bilateral ties had enjoyed comprehensive and fast development since the two countries established diplomatic relations 19 years ago. This had brought huge benefits to the two peoples and made a great contribution to safeguarding and promoting regional peace, stability and development.

Li said he hoped China and the ROK could expand inter-parliamentary exchanges, promote exchanges between political parties and youth and enhance the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples.

Li also hoped the two countries could push their strategic cooperative partnership to a higher level.

Park said the China-ROK friendship enjoyed popular support in his country. The ROK National Assembly would actively support and make a positive contribution to the development of China-ROK ties by promoting inter-parliamentary, youth and people-to-people exchanges.

Li also said China was committed to safeguarding peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, restarting the Six-Party Talks and promoting denuclearization on the peninsula.

Li said China was also devoted to supporting contacts and exchanges between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and ROK to reach reconciliation and cooperation between the two sides.

This was in the common interest of all countries in the region and China would continue to make unremitting efforts to reach the goal, Li said.

Park said the ROK appreciated the vital role China played in safeguarding the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and that his country was willing to strengthen communications and coordination with China in this aspect.

Also on Thursday, Li traveled to Suwon City in Gyeonggido Province south of Seoul to meet and chat with a group of 300 Chinese and ROK youths who were attending a get-together party there under a bilateral cultural exchange program.

Li arrived in Seoul Wednesday for a two-day official visit after an official goodwill visit to the DPRK. During his time here, he has met ROK President Lee Myung-bak and Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik.