Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with Republic of Korea (ROK) President Roh Moo-hyun in Cebu on Sunday.

Wen said that China and the Republic of Korea are friendly and close neighbors and important cooperative partners. The two countries share a wide range of common interests and have agreement on many issues concerning maintaining and promoting of regional peace and development.

He said developing Sino-ROK good neighborly and friendly relations is an unshakable policy of the Chinese government and China is ready to make efforts with ROK to widen and deepen bilateral comprehensive and cooperative partnership.

Wen said Sino-ROK relations have a good basis and wide perspective of development. He expresses his hope that the two sides will keep the momentum of high level contacts, and strengthen coordination and consultations at all levels to deepen political trust.

He also called for enlarging trade scale between the two countries and upgrade the quality of economic and technological cooperation, as well as an early start of joint research into possibility of establishing a Sino-ROK free trade area through a blueprint which can bring about a win-win situation for both sides.

Wen also suggested that the two countries make a success this year's activities concerning commemorating the 15th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between China and ROK to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples.

Wen pointed out that China and ROK are important forces in maintaining stability of the situation of the Korean Peninsula, and have been exerting active and constructive roles over the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

He said both China and ROK support dialogue to seek a peaceful solution to the issue, share the aim of keeping Korean Peninsula nuclear-free and maintain regional peace and stability.

He suggested that China and ROK further strengthen consultations and coordination to help the Six-Party Talk over DPRK nuclear issue make continuous progress.

Roh said relations between ROK and China have made satisfying development and the two countries have been keeping very close exchanges in all fields and at all levels, which has turned their relationship into one of important partnership.

He said ROK will take advantage of the commemorative activities to mark the 15th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relationship with China this year to push forward exchanges at high level and to seek cooperation of mutual benefit with China.

Roh also said ROK encourages the consultation process for building a free trade area with China and will make efforts to maintain a balanced development of trade with China.

He said ROK highly appreciates the important role China is playing in re-starting the Six-Party Talks and pushing forward a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula. He said China shares with ROK many common views on the issue and ROK is willing to strengthen consultations and cooperation with China over the issue in order to commonly push forward the process of Six-Party talks.

Source: Xinhua