President Hu Jintao said in Sydney on Friday that all relevant
parties should continue to work for the achievement of the goal of
denuclearization on the Korean peninsula.
Arduous task lies ahead in the efforts to seek a final
resolution to the issue, Hu said when he met South Korean President
Roh Moo-hyun.
He said that thanks to the concerted efforts of all sides, the
six-party talks aimed at denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula have
made progress with consensus reached through dialogues, laying a
solid foundation for work in the next phase.
The six-party talks which involve China, North and South Korea,
the US, Russia and Japan, have undergone six rounds in Beijing,
with various working groups set up to deal with concrete
matters.
China is willing to work with other parties, including South
Korea, to help implement the agreements already inked in a
comprehensive and balanced manner and steadily push forward the
six-party talks, Hu said.
China will "strive for the realization of denuclearization on
the peninsula at an early date to maintain peace and stability on
the peninsula and in northeast Asia," he said.
Roh said that facts have proven that dialogue is the ideal way
for tackling the nuclear issue on the peninsula.
He commended the role played by China in the process, saying
that the good coordination and cooperation between South Korea and
China, which hosts the six-party talks, on peninsula-related
affairs were important and he hoped both sides will maintain such
close communication.
The two presidents also spoke highly of the development of
bilateral ties.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic ties between China and South Korea. A series of
activities have been held to mark the occasion.
"China-South Korea ties have scored new progress," Hu said,
citing frequent exchanges of high-level visits, new breakthroughs
in two-way trade and the colorful events of the China-South Korea
Exchange Year.
Both countries also maintain close communication and
coordination on regional and international affairs, he added.
Both China and South Korea are important countries in northeast
Asia, he said, adding that the consolidation and development of
bilateral ties serve the fundamental interests of the two peoples
and are conducive to peace and development in the region.
China will make unremitting efforts to deepen the partnership of
all-around cooperation between the two countries, he said.
Roh also praised the achievement in bilateral trade and
investment and highly appreciated the importance attached to the
development of bilateral ties by the Chinese government.
After the meeting, Hu and Roh witnessed the signing of an
agreement on the promotion and protection of investment in each
other's country.
Both presidents are here to attend the economic leaders' meeting
of the 21-member APEC forum, due to be held on Sept. 8-9 in this
scenic coastal city of Australia.
(Xinhua News Agency September 7, 2007)
