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South Korean President Moon Jae-in meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Blue House on Nov. 26. (Yonhap News)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in proposed “developing longer-term cooperation plans in anticipation of the next 30 years for the 30th anniversary of South Korean-Chinese diplomatic relations two years from now” during a meeting on Nov. 26 with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who was visiting South Korea for the first time in a year. Wang verbally shared a message from Chinese President Xi Jinping with Moon the same day.

Meeting with Wang at the Blue House that afternoon, Moon welcomed Wang’s decision to visit in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am very pleased to see continued senior-level exchanges between our two countries even amid the difficult situation with COVID-19,” he told Wang, whom he asked to “share my warm regards with President Xi Jinping, who has shown on numerous occasions how deeply he values South Korea-China relations.”

During his December 2019 meeting with Wang, Moon expressed his “hope that I can meet with President Xi shortly,” but his remarks on Nov. 26 included no specific reference to a meeting.

Moon went on to say, “I look forward to our two countries developing an even closer strategic cooperative partnership as we strengthen person-to-person and cultural exchange and well as economic cooperation going forward.”

“In particular, I hope we can proceed with developing long-term development plans to prepare for the next 30 years with the 30th anniversary of South Korea-China diplomatic relations two years from now,” he added.

Moon expressed “particular thanks for the constructive role and cooperation China has shown in the Korean Peninsula peace process.”

“The South Korean government will not stop working with China and the rest of the international community toward ending the war on the Korean Peninsula and achieving complete denuclearization and permanent peace,” he continued.

Following Moon’s remarks, Wang first said that President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang “share their kindest greetings” with Moon.

“Having been invited to visit South Korea at a time when the COVID-19 [pandemic] has not fully ended, I have had a meeting with Minister [of Foreign Affairs] Kang Kyung-wha, who is seated across from me now,” he added, explaining that “these practical steps are meant to show how much we value our relationship with South Korea and our trust that South Korea can completely overcome the COVID-19 situation.”

Wang went to say that he and Kang had “agreed on 10 points” during their meeting, adding that these “included agreements regarding bilateral cooperation and regional issues.” In closing, Wang said that Xi “greatly values his friendship and mutual trust” with Moon and asked him to “relay a verbal message.”

The meeting between Moon and Wang that day was also attended by Kang, Blue House Chief of Staff Noh Young-min, National Security Office Director Suh Hoon, and Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming. Wang’s visit to South Korea followed a meeting in Japan on Nov. 25 with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

By Lee Wan, staff reporter

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]