President Moon Jae-in, who is on a state visit to China, met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing this afternoon.

Attending the meeting from the Korean side were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy & Finance Kim Dong-yeon; Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-hwa; Ambassador to China Noh Young-min; Cheong Wa Dae Director of National Security Chung Eui-yong; Cheong Wa Dae Second Deputy Director of National Security Nam Gwan-pyo; Senior Secretary to the President for Public Communication Yoon Young-chan; and Senior Secretary to the President for Economic Affairs Hong Jang-pyo.

President Moon noted that there are many Korean businesses and industries suffering from difficulties in the aftermath of the THAAD deployment. The President emphatically asked Premier Li to actively see to it that businesses and the economy that have slumped due to the THAAD issue would be able to make a turnaround as soon as possible, even though the Chinese Government did not weigh in on the situation.  

Moreover, President Moon proposed bilateral cooperation in the fields of joint reduction in fine dust; collaboration in health care and protection of fisheries resources in the Yellow Sea; joint response to the Fourth Industrial Revolution; and people-to-people exchanges and cultural interactions.

In response to President Moon’s request for the reopening of communication channels between economy and trade-related ministries of the two countries, Premier Li said he understood well the current situation of the suspended communication channels. He went on to say that economic and trade channels between the relevant ministries of the two countries would be reactivated, enabling stronger communication going forward.

The Chinese Premier said that President Moon’s visit this time was likely to serve as an opportunity to resume cooperative projects that have been suspended so far. Speaking of the MOUs signed in areas with great growth potential, including the economy, trade, energy and healthcare, he added that it was more important to faithfully carry out follow-up projects, expressing the hope that significant outcomes would be achieved in many areas. 

Premier Li noted that he was aware of the fact that some Korean businesses were experiencing difficulties, which did not point to the deterioration of the investment environment in his country. He went on to say that if Korea-China ties improved, many Korean firms would benefit from it. 

He next mentioned Korea`s hosting of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as well as China`s playing host to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. He said his country would learn from Korea about how to organize the Winter Olympics, adding that a significant number of Chinese people would visit Korea to watch the Games and sight see.  

Concerning President Moon`s suggestion for the designation of the years 2018 and 2022 as mutual visit years, Premier Li Keqiang said he would take it into serious consideration. 

With regard to the President`s proposal for bilateral cooperation, the Chinese Premier answered positively saying that there were no fundamental conflicts of interest between Seoul and Beijing and that complementary cooperation capitalizing on both nations` strengths would also contribute to cooperation in East Asia.   

President Moon expressed the hope that a trilateral summit among Korea, China and Japan would be held at the earliest date possible, and Premier Li also said he expected that the meeting would take place soon. 

Premier Li said that President Moon’s meeting with President Xi Jinping was very significant. Noting that both Korea and China needed to take care of sensitive issues carefully, the Premier said he was confident about the future of the two countries’ relations because the two nations were working together, looking in the same direction. 

Earlier, President Moon met Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People`s Congress, and they agreed to further boost exchanges between the legislatures of the two countries. 

Noting that bilateral relations needed to have various ways of communication and exchanges between peoples at all social standings, in addition to between the two Administrations, President Moon said it was necessary for the National Assembly of Korea and the National People`s Congress of China to have close exchanges and communication and asked for special interest in that matter. 

Chairman Zhang said that China and Korea agreed to deal with the issue of THAAD in the current stage and that President Xi and Premier Li had made President Moon’s visit to China happen. The Chairman went on to say that President Moon’s visit this time was very significant in recovering and developing the two countries’ relations and that his goal in the visit was already achieved.