Building on nine years of official relations and a significant improvement in ties last year, China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) are planning to step up economic co-operation.
During talks with visiting ROK Prime Minister Lee Han-dong yesterday, Premier Zhu Rongji called for joint efforts from both sides to team up economically.
Responding to Zhu, Lee said his country hoped to pursue significant reciprocal co-operation with China in the realms of information, finance, energy and steel sectors.
Relations between China and the ROK moved a step forward last year when, during Zhu's visit to the ROK, the two countries decided to push for the all-round relations of co-operation and partnership.
Zhu insisted that bilateral economic co-operation between China and the ROK has enjoyed deeper and wider development in recent years. He highlighted joint work in information technology and the establishment of an investment co-operation committee as examples of this.
A new example will come at the end of this month when a fishery agreement between China and the ROK takes effect. The agreement will be important the maintenance of normal fishing mechanisms, protection of fishing resources and the implementation of co-operation in the field, Zhu was quoted as saying by a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman.
China and the ROK signed the fishery agreement last August. It provides for a provisional arrangement on fisheries before the delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone between the two countries.
Lee expressed the hope that China will contribute more to steady economic development in East Asia and the rest of the world, according to the spokesman.
Zhu and Lee also exchanged views about the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
Zhu noted that China and the ROK have met success in their joint effort to safeguard peace and stability on the peninsula.
Lee arrived in Beijing earlier yesterday on a working visit to China. He is scheduled to hold additional talks with President Jiang Zemin and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Li Peng.
(Chinadaily 06/20/2001)
