Yoon, Chinese premier hold talks to bolster bilateral ties

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang held a meeting in Seoul on Sunday to discuss ways to expand economic cooperation and cooperate on regional and international issues. Li made his first visit to South Korea since taking office in March 2023 to attend a trilateral summit with Yoon and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida set for Monday. "I believe that South Korea and China should closely cooperate not only for our bilateral relationship but also for the peace and prosperity of the international community," Yoon said in his opening remarks. Yoon underscored the importance of working with China to address rising economic uncertainties in the wake of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict. "I hope we can continue to strengthen our cooperation amid today's global complex crises," he said. Li highlighted the close economic relations between the two countries and expressed hope for further developing ties for "mutual benefit" and a "win-win relationship." "China wis hes to work together with South Korea to become a reliable and good neighbor and supportive partner who help each other succeed," Li said. Yoon and Li held their first meeting in September 2023 in Indonesia on the sidelines of a summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. This visit marks the first by China's No. 2 in nine years since former Premier Li Keqiang. China is South Korea's largest trading partner, but bilateral relations have been strained amid Seoul's closer alignment with Washington under the Yoon administration. In 2019, the trilateral summit was last held in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu. Source: Yonhap News Agency