(2nd LD) Lee-China
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| ▲ President Lee Jae Myung (L) speaks during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Jan. 6, 2026. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Chinese Premier Li Qiang (R) speaks during a meeting with President Lee Jae Myung at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Jan. 6, 2026. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ President Lee Jae Myung (L) shakes hands with Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China, during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Jan. 6, 2026. (Yonhap) |
(2nd LD) Lee-China
(2nd LD) Lee tells China's premier he will develop restoration of bilateral ties into irreversible trend
(ATTN: ADDS meeting with China's top legislator, photo in last three paras)
By Kim Eun-jung
BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung told Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday that he will develop the restoration of ties between Seoul and Beijing into an irreversible trend while expecting Li to promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
The meeting between Lee and Li, China's No. 2 leader, came a day after Lee held summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and shared their view on the importance of resuming talks with North Korea and agreed to broaden economic cooperation.
"Through this visit, (we) intend to make this year the first year of full restoration of Korea-China relations and firmly establish the development of bilateral ties as an irreversible trend of the times," Lee told the Chinese premier at the meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
Lee said he and Xi agreed during Monday's summit to further develop the "strategic cooperative partnership relationship" in a way that promotes people's livelihoods and peace.
He also asked for Li's support in advancing bilateral ties, noting his role as China's top official overseeing economic policy and as Beijing's counterpart for a trilateral summit with Japan, which also involves Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
"I hope that our two countries will expand horizontal and mutually beneficial cooperation in line with the changing times, promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, and move forward together on a path of pragmatism and shared prosperity," he said.
In response, Li said China values its relations with South Korea and is willing to strengthen strategic communication and political mutual trust, pledging to play a leading role in broadening and deepening cooperation to improve the well-being of the people of both countries.
It marked their third meeting, following talks on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia in October and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea the following month.
Ahead of the talks, Lee met with Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and underscored the importance of the Chinese legislature's role in advancing bilateral relations.
During the meeting at the Great Hall of the People, Lee asked Zhao, China's No. 3 official and top legislator, to provide "active support" for developing Seoul-Beijing ties based on a "solid foundation of trust."
Zhao pledged his support, saying that "healthy and stable" bilateral relations serve the interests of the people of both countries and contribute to regional and global peace, stability and prosperity."
(END)
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