South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Chinese President Hu Jintao pledged Sunday to further move relations between the two countries forward as they exchanged New Year’s messages celebrating 20 years of diplomatic ties.
Lee said in his letter to Hu that relations between the two countries have rapidly expanded in all sectors since the 1992 establishment of diplomatic ties and the sides “are more closely communicating and cooperating” with each other for the sake of the “common goal of peace, stability and prosperity in East Asia.
“Based on the achievement made for the past 20 years, I would like to open up a better future in relations between the two countries with President Hu,” Lee said in the letter, according to the presidential office.
Lee also said he expects a series of events the two countries plan to hold this year to commemorate the 20th anniversary of ties to further promote friendship and cooperation between the peoples of the two countries.
Hu said in his letter to Lee that the two countries are close neighbors and their relations have deepened rapidly in all areas since the 1992 forging of diplomatic ties. The Chinese leader also said ”mutual political trust“ between Seoul and Beijing has continued to strengthen.
“The establishment of relations between China and South Korea has brought real benefits to the peoples of the two countries and made active contributions to peace and stability and development and prosperity in the region,“ Hu said in the letter, according to Seoul’s presidential office.
Hu also said that China hopes to further promote friendship and deepen exchanges and cooperation with South Korea in all areas while steadily moving the strategic cooperative partnership between the two sides forward.
“As this year also celebrates the 20th anniversary of Korea-China diplomatic relations, the year 2012 promises to be a milestone in people-to-people exchanges,” the presidential office said in a statement.
(Yonhap News)
