Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao and South Korean president, Roh Moo-hyun, pledged to make joint efforts for the sustained development of the comprehensive partnership of cooperation between the two countries. Hu put forward a four-point proposal on further development of all-round cooperation between the two countries.

During their meeting in Seoul, Hu said that since the establishment of comprehensive partnership of cooperation, the two countries have entered into cooperation in all fields of endeavor and maintained close communication and coordination on international and regional issues.

Hu, who is on a state visit, said Beijing and Seoul now share more common interests as their ties become more and more important.
   
Bilateral cooperation has not only fueled the development of both countries, but also made important contributions to safeguarding peace and stability on the Korean Peninsular and in northeast Asia, Hu said.
   
Hu put forward a four-point proposal on the further development of all-round cooperation between the two countries:
   
-- to enhance political mutual trust by establishing a hot-line at the foreign ministerial level for timely exchange of views on major issues of common concern;
   
-- to double the current annual trade volume of US$100 billion by the end of 2012;
   
-- to expand exchanges in the fields of culture, education, science and technology, health and quarantine, and environmental protection, to increase contact between the two countries' young people, and to jointly sponsor the Year of China-South Korea Exchanges in 2007; and

-- to strengthen consultation on international affairs and work jointly for a new world political and economic order that is fair and just.
   
Roh said that he fully agrees with the four-point proposal raised by Hu and stressed that the two countries have many common interests and views on important issues.
   
Roh said that Seoul attaches great importance to its relations with China and firmly adheres to the one-China principle, a stance which he said will not change.
   
Roh announced his government's decision to recognize China's market economy status during the talks.
   
He said that his government will actively study the establishment of a free trade zone between the two countries, work for the expansion of cooperation between their enterprises and properly handle disputes arising amidst the rapid development of such cooperation.
   
Roh also hailed China's role in tackling the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsular, and Hu reaffirmed Beijing's principled stance advocating a peaceful solution to the issue through dialogue and a nuclear-free Korean Peninsular.
   
Hu expressed the hope that all countries concerned will continue to make joint efforts to achieve new progress in the six-party talks.
   
After their meeting, Hu and Roh attended the signing ceremony of a number of bilateral documents on the promotion of trade and investment, cooperation in breeding tigers and other issues.

Earlier in the day, Hu also met representatives of several South Korean groups dedicated to promoting ties with China and discussed with them ways to further develop bilateral relations.

(Xinhua News Agency November 17, 2005)