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President Moon Jae-in poses for a photo with Wang Qishan, the vice president of China, at the Blue House on the afternoon of May 9. (provided by the Blue House)

Outgoing President Moon Jae-in expressed hope for “greater development in our 30-year-long bilateral relationship” in a meeting Monday with Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan, who was visiting South Korea to attend the inauguration of Yoon Suk-yeol.

Explaining that Chinese President Xi Jinping had received the personal letter sent to him by Moon, Wang said that changes on the international and regional levels mustn’t change the relationship of friendship and cooperation between China and South Korea.

Moon and Wang’s meeting Monday took place in the reception room of the Blue House’s main building.

Moon said it was his “understanding that China has sent its most senior-level delegation to this [inauguration] out of all of South Korea’s past presidential inaugurations.”

“I believe this shows the commitment of President Xi and the Chinese government and the value it places on the relationship between South Korea and China,” he continued, asking in particular for Wang to “express my best wishes to President Xi.”

In response, Wang said that Xi “places great value on his interactions, working relationship, and friendship” with Moon.

“On behalf of President Xi, I would like to express his kind greetings and best wishes,” he added.

Wang went on to say that China and South Korea “have a great many common interests as eternal neighbors and as important partners to one another.”

“No matter what changes might occur in the international and regional situation, the basic relationship of friendship and cooperation between China and South Korea cannot and must not change,” he continued.

In a briefing the same day, Blue House spokesperson Park Kyung-mee said, “Last year, President Moon noted the progress that has been made in bilateral exchanges in terms of cultural content, including the resumed screening of Korean films in China, and he expressed hopes for even more active exchanges this year, which is a ‘year of cultural exchange’ between South Korean and China.”

“President Moon said he hoped that these efforts would be redoubled, with the promotion of mutual understanding and feelings of friendship between both our publics being the most important foundation for continued advancements in bilateral relations,” she added.

The Blue House also said that Wang had “praised the important contributions that President Moon made to improving inter-Korean relations through reconciliation and cooperation,” while pledging that China would “continue to contribute its efforts toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”

On behalf of China, Wang expressed gratitude for Moon’s many contributions to advancing bilateral relations and conveyed Xi’s special regards.

“President Moon said he thought it was meaningful that the final official schedule item of his term was his meeting with Vice President Wang Qishan, and Vice President Wang replied that he was honored to be the last visitor to the Blue House,” Park explained.

By Lee Wan, staff reporter

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