A new starting point of China-ROK strategic partnership

China and the Republic of Korea are both influential countries in Northeast Asia, and the stable development of bilateral relations not only adds to the well-being of the two peoples, but is also conducive to regional peace, stability and prosperity, an article in People’s Daily has said. Excerpt:

The China-ROK relationship has lasted 20 years with innumerable great achievements in all areas, and has now embarked on a new historical starting point.

In 2011, citizens traveling between the two countries took nearly 6 million trips and trade volume topped $245.6 billion. China is the ROK’s largest trading partner, largest export market and largest source country of imports, as well as the ROK’s largest overseas travel destination. The two sides have the largest number of students that study in each other’s countries. People from the ROK living and working in China make up the largest group of foreigners in China.

The growing and deepening development of relations between China and the ROK in political, economic, trade and cultural fields has attracted worldwide attention. This suggests that both governments and citizens of the two sides have common needs and hopes for the development of bilateral relations.

Advancing China-ROK relations is in line with the mainstream aims of the Asia-Pacific regional cooperative development and is conducive to stability in Northeast Asia.

A prominent feature of China-ROK relations is that both governments attach great importance to promoting bilateral exchanges. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, close high-level exchanges deepened political mutual trust and led to the establishment of bilateral strategic partnership, which provided a guarantee for the sustained and healthy development of bilateral relations.

Geographic location facilitates economic exchanges between China and the ROK. After the establishment of diplomatic relations, bilateral economic and trade cooperation has been booming. In recent years, with the growing strength of the Chinese economy, the two sides began to compete in certain areas, and the possible benefits that could be gained from the two sides complementing each other in areas of mutual knowledge has yet to be developed.

At present, China-ROK free trade area negotiation has been officially launched and as a landmark event it will help tap the potential of economic and trade cooperation in East Asia.

China has always been supportive of the North and South on the Korean Peninsula to improve their relations through dialogue and consultation, to promote reconciliation and cooperation, and finally realize peaceful reunification.

China has always believed that maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and working to achieve long-term peace and stability in Northeast Asia, is in line with the common interests of all parties concerned.

                                                       translated by Chen longxiang