China eyes stronger partnership with ROK: FM

BEIJING -?Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said during a Monday meeting with ROK president-elect Park Geun-hye's special envoy Kim Moo-sung that China looks forward to a stronger partnership with the Republic of Korea (ROK).

Increasingly close and mature bilateral ties have not only brought substantial benefits to the two nations, but also made contributions to peace, stability and prosperity in East Asia, Yang said.

China and the ROK forged diplomatic ties in 1992 and upgraded their partnership in May 2008.

China attaches great importance to its ties with the ROK, Yang said, adding that he believes their partnership will see even more progress through joint efforts by both sides.

Park, who won the country's presidential election in December 2012, will replace incumbent President Lee Myung-bak next month.

Kim said his visit shows Park's sincerity in maintaining bilateral relations, and that the ROK is ready to further advance the partnership with China.

Yang reiterated China's stance on Korean Peninsula-related issues, saying that China supports efforts to improve relations between the ROK and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

China hopes the ROK and the DPRK will grasp opportunities to achieve reconciliation and safeguard peace and stability on the peninsula, he said.

Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun also met with Kim on Monday.

Zhang visited the ROK earlier this month and met with Park to deliver a personal message from Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.