Chinese, South Korean FMs express willingness to deepen bilateral ties

BEIJING - China is willing to work with South Korea to strengthen mutual trust, avoid disruptions, deepen cooperation and contribute to each other's success so as to safeguard regional peace, stability and prosperity, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday.

In a telephone conversation with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that as the two countries are important neighbors as well as close partners, China always attaches great importance to its relations with South Korea.

As South Korea and China will host the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting this year and next year, respectively, Wang voiced hope that the two sides will support each other to build consensus, strengthen solidarity and cooperation, safeguard the international trade regime, uphold multilateralism and advance the process of building a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) in pursuit of an Asia-Pacific community.

Cho, for his part, said that South Korea holds in high regard its relationship with China and will spare no effort to boost its growth.

He voiced hope that South Korea will take the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting as an opportunity to facilitate high-level exchanges between the two countries and deepen exchanges and cooperation.