(Unofficial Translation)

I welcome the Foreign Minister on your visit to Korea. I am all the more glad and have high expectations because this is the first visit since your appointment as State Councilor even though you had previously made several visits to Korea.

This year has been a very important one for both of our countries as it marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China and the centennial of the Provisional Republic of Korea Government’s establishment. Throughout this crucial year, there has been a lot of progress in bilateral relations.

I am very pleased that our two countries have continued to engage in high-level exchanges and communication on foreign affairs, national defense and a wide range of other areas, including my summit with President Xi Jinping in Osaka.

Close dialogue and cooperation between our two countries will provide strength to stabilize security in Northeast Asia and overcome uncertainties in the global economy together. 

I look forward to dialogue and cooperation between Seoul and Beijing deepening further on the occasion of the upcoming Korea-China-Japan summit this month. In particular, I extend my appreciation to the Chinese Government for its very positive role and contributions along our journey toward peace on the Korean Peninsula.

I believe that the process for the complete denuclearization of and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula is coming to an important crossroads. I ask the Chinese Government to continue to take interest in the issue and provide support until a new era of a peaceful Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons is ushered in.

I hope you will give my special regards to President Xi. It was regrettable that we could not meet last month since the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting was postponed. I look forward to seeing him soon.

In addition, I ask State Councilor Wang to also play a larger part in developing our bilateral relationship.