Chinese, S. Korean leaders mark 20th anniversary of ties

Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao on Friday exchanged congratulatory messages with their South Korean counterparts to mark the 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

The establishment of diplomatic ties opened a new chapter for the development of bilateral relations, Hu said.

With efforts on both sides, the China-South Korea relationship had witnessed comprehensive, rapid and in-depth development and yielded substantial results, which not only brought tangible benefits for both countries but also contributed to regional peace and stability as well as prosperity and development, the Chinese president said.

The two countries shared vast common interests in strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation, and promoting peace and development at both global and regional levels, he said.

Hu also expressed willingness to work jointly with South Korea to increase exchanges, expand cooperation and constantly deepen the China-South Korea strategic partnership of cooperation.

Wen said in his message China and South Korea were close neighbors separated by sea and their peoples had enjoyed time-honored friendship.

He said to strengthen exchanges and deepen cooperation between the two countries complied with the general trend of the time and the two people's wishes and were in the common interests of both countries.

Wen said Beijing hoped to take the opportunity of the 20th anniversary to work with Seoul in a bid to enrich their relationship and promote the China-South Korea strategic partnership of cooperation to a new level.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik said in their messages South Korea-China relations had achieved unprecedented progress in the past 20 years, and their exchanges and cooperation in various fields had taken a new leap forward, especially since the promotion of the two countries relations to strategic cooperative partnership in 2008.

They expressed hope the two countries, on the basis of fruitful results of bilateral cooperation in the past 20 years, would open a new future for their bilateral ties to realize mutual prosperity and make positive contributions to regional and world stability and development.

On Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi also exchanged congratulatory messages with his South Korean counterpart, Kim Sung-hwan.