FM's ROK visit builds positive momentum

Foreign Minister Wang Yi wrapped up a two-day visit to the Republic of Korea on Thursday, which observers said reflected continuous efforts by the two neighbors to maintain the positive momentum in bilateral ties.

The visit aimed to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state during their reciprocal visits, deepen political mutual trust and advance mutually beneficial cooperation, while laying the groundwork for further interactions between the two leaders during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, in November, they said.

This was Wang's first official trip to the ROK in five years. The two neighbors will celebrate the 34th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations on Monday.

During Wang's meeting with ROK President Lee Jae-myung in Seoul on Thursday, the president said that Seoul and Beijing should become mutually dependent and mutually beneficial partners with complementary strengths.

Lee said that trade cooperation between the two countries has maintained strong growth. Highlighting that the number of mutual visits between the two peoples is expected to exceed 10 million this year, he noted that public perceptions of China in the ROK continue to improve.

Lee said that he looks forward to visiting Shenzhen for the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, calling it an important opportunity to work with China to advance their strategic cooperative partnership to a new level.

China-ROK relations have fully recovered and made positive progress since the beginning of this year, Wang noted, adding that such a fact demonstrates that a rational, pragmatic and positive policy toward China fully serves the ROK's interests.

When meeting with the ROK's top presidential national security adviser Wi Sung-lac on Thursday, Wang expressed hope that the ROK will exercise genuine strategic autonomy, refrain from bloc confrontation or taking sides, and develop its relations with China, the United States and other major countries in a mutually compatible manner.

During their strategic dialogue, they also had an in-depth exchange of views on regional security issues.

Wang stressed that it is necessary to remain highly vigilant against the rhetoric and actions of Japan's right-wing forces that seek to turn back the wheel of history, and that the resurgence of Japanese militarism must never be allowed.

Wang's visit also came as the ROK and the US confirmed that they were sharply scaling back major annual joint drills, a move viewed as a goodwill gesture toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The fundamental way to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula is to address the root causes and to push for the US to abandon its hostile policy toward the DPRK, Wang told Wi.Wang called on all parties to do more to facilitate the resumption of dialogue and restoration of mutual trust, expressing hopes that the Korean Peninsula will move toward peaceful coexistence between the ROK and the DPRK, ultimately achieving lasting peace and stability on the Peninsula.

Li Jiacheng, an associate professor at Liaoning University's School of International Studies, said that both the US and the ROK hope China can serve as a bridge and play a greater role in facilitating their engagement with the DPRK, which also highlights the importance of China in the ROK's foreign diplomacy.

In his talks with ROK Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Wednesday, Wang said that China's vast market offers the ROK enormous opportunities due to its geographical proximity.

Wang expressed hope that the two sides will continue to expand cooperation, and upgrade cooperation in traditional industrial areas toward higher value-added sectors.

The two countries should also tap new growth areas for cooperation in artificial intelligence, green transition, the digital economy, high-end equipment and the silver economy, he added.

The Chinese foreign minister called on the two countries to accelerate negotiations on the second phase of the China-ROK Free Trade Agreement.

Accelerating the second-phase negotiations on the FTA, which focus on greater alignment of rules in areas such as trade in services, investment and the digital economy, will provide institutional support for bilateral cooperation, said Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies.

Despite external pressure and intensifying competition, through deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, China-ROK trade cooperation is expected to become an important pillar of global industrial and supply chain stability and give fresh impetus to the recovery of the regional economy, he said.

zhoujin@chinadaily.com.cn