Seoul, Beijing pledge stronger ties at Chinese 75th anniversary event

South Korea and China reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and communication, highlighting the significance of their partnership during a reception on Thursday celebrating the upcoming 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Oct. 1.

The Chinese Embassy hosted the event at The Shilla Seoul on Thursday, with the attendance of over 800 guests, including South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun, current and former lawmakers, government officials and representatives from various embassies, according to the embassy.

Chinese charge d'affaires Fang Kun remarked in his speech in Mandarin at the event, "The development of both China and South Korea and their bilateral relations currently stands at a critical juncture where opportunities and challenges coexist."

"At this time, only by communicating sincerely with one another can the relationship be sustained for the long term."

Fang expressed China's hope that the two countries will "continue to strengthen communication, build mutual trust, deepen their friendship and broaden cooperation," thereby allowing them to "steadily and sustainably advance the strategic cooperative partnership between China and Korea."

Fang underscored that "China and South Korea are not only close neighbors who cannot be distanced, but also indispensable partners in cooperation."

Fang highlighted the progress in China-South Korea relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992, noting substantial achievements in exchanges and cooperation across various sectors.

"This (progress) has not only brought significant benefits to the peoples of both countries, but has also made important contributions to regional and global peace and prosperity," Fang said. "These facts demonstrate that, regardless of changes in the international and regional situation, strengthening friendly cooperation between the two countries is always the only correct choice for both China and Korea," Fang added.

In his congratulatory remarks, First Vice Foreign Minister Kim emphasized that "this year is pivotal for transforming the two countries' commitment to advancing bilateral relations into tangible results and concrete cooperation."

Kim noted that strategic communication between the two countries' diplomatic authorities has been expanding, with high-level consultations in areas such as economics, the environment and science, as well as increasing exchanges between local governments.

"The governments of both countries will continue to work together to sustain the momentum of smooth communication and cooperation moving forward," Kim said in his speech in Korean.

"Our government will work closely with China to ensure that Korea-China relations develop in a mature way and yield tangible results that both nations' citizens can directly experience."

Kim also called on China to contribute to advancing North Korea's denuclearization, emphasizing the importance of close cooperation between South Korea and China for the peace and prosperity of both the region and the international community.

"In particular, peace on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia is a crucial prerequisite for global peace, and North Korea's denuclearization is essential for achieving lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, in Northeast Asia, and around the world," Kim said.

"Our government hopes that as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China will continue to play a constructive role and closely with us to ensure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, which serves the shared interest of both countries."

Rep. Hong Kee-won of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea delivered a speech at the reception on behalf of Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon, president of the South Korea-China Parliamentarians' Union, while former National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo also gave remarks.