A view of Beijing (left) and Seoul. Photo: VCG

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Jae-myung, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday. President Xi said he and President Lee have met twice and conducted reciprocal visits, reflecting the importance both sides attach to China-ROK relations. After their talks, the two sides witnessed the signing of 15 cooperation documents in fields including scientific and technological innovation, ecological environment, transportation, and economic and trade cooperation. Media widely regarded this visit as the important start of "pragmatic diplomacy" in the new year, seeing it as a concrete anchor for the full restoration and development of China-ROK relations. 

During the talks, President Xi emphasized that, as both friends and neighbors, China and the ROK should increase exchanges and maintain frequent communication; further align their development strategies, strengthen policy coordination, expand the pie of common interests; increase personnel exchanges to make positive narratives the mainstream of public opinion; firmly stand on the right side of history and make the right strategic choices; and work together to oppose protectionism and practice true multilateralism. This important statement precisely captured the essence of China-ROK relations from a strategic perspective and provided guidance for consolidating the momentum of their fully restored and developing ties.

Xi said during his talks with President Lee in Gyeongju in November last year that China and ROK are important neighbors that cannot be moved away and cooperation partners that cannot be separated. Neighbors should maintain regular exchanges. 

China and the ROK have now each implemented a unilateral visa exemption policy for each other's citizens. With the trend of "weekend trips to Shanghai," and the popularity in the ROK of Chinese games such as Genshin Impact, Wuthering Waves, and Where Winds Meet, these "increased exchanges" are already reflected in people's daily lives. The entry of South Korean hydrogen technology startups into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and China-ROK cooperative green technologies going global are vivid examples of "exchanges" in practice. Meanwhile, the smooth progress of the second phase of the China-ROK Free Trade Agreement negotiations, dialogue and consultation on regional hotspot issues, and mutual consideration of core interests all help strengthen the "frequent communication" that underpins mutual trust.

A major highlight of President Lee's visit is the presence of a large economic delegation. Economic and trade cooperation has always been the stabilizing anchor and driving force of China-ROK relations. For many consecutive years, China has remained ROK's largest trading partner, largest export market, and largest source of imports, while ROK has consistently ranked among China's important trading partners. In 2024, bilateral trade grew despite adverse conditions, demonstrating strong resilience and vitality. 

During the talks, President Lee expressed hope to seize the opportunities brought by China's 15th Five-Year Plan. After the meeting, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of 15 cooperation documents, pushing mutually beneficial cooperation to new breadth and depth. This clearly shows that the pattern of complementary advantages and deep integration in China-ROK economic relations has not changed; on the contrary, it is unlocking even greater potential for cooperation in the new era.

Against the backdrop of a sluggish global economic recovery and the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, steady and improving China-ROK relations serve the development needs of both countries and meet the expectations of the international community. As major economic partners with deeply intertwined industries and both competitive strengths, a stable bilateral relationship not only benefits business operations and market expectations, but also bears directly on regional growth and prospects for global economic recovery. The high level of attention paid by the South Korean business community to the visit to China underscores that advancing China-ROK relations along a healthy path is an inevitable choice grounded in rationality and pragmatism on both sides.

2025 marked the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. During their talks, the two heads of state mentioned that China and the ROK had jointly fought against Japanese militarism. President Lee's visit will also include a tour of the historic site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea during Japan's colonial rule in Shanghai. This shared historical memory provides a natural consensus for both sides on major issues such as maintaining the post-WWII international order and defending historical justice.

Currently, the world is undergoing significant changes, and the international situation is becoming increasingly chaotic, with the historical dross of some regional countries resurfacing, posing new challenges to regional peace and development. China and the ROK have both the responsibility and the capability to work together to safeguard the achievements of the victory in WWII, protect peace and stability in Northeast Asia, and positively empower peace and development for the region and the world.

In over 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, friendly cooperation has always been the mainstream of China-ROK relations, and mutual development has always been the most solid consensus. It's believed that as long as the two countries continue in the direction of friendly cooperation, respect each other's concerns, and focus on common development issues, China and the ROK will be able to continuously build mutual trust through cooperation and make greater contributions to global prosperity and development.