Seoul: China's top envoy to South Korea, Dai Bing, has emphasized the significance of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit as a vital opportunity for high-level exchanges between China and South Korea, the Chinese Embassy in Seoul reported on Wednesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the ambassador made these remarks during a reception at the embassy to celebrate the new year and his recent appointment. He highlighted the upcoming APEC leaders' summits to be hosted by South Korea this year and by China in 2026. The 2025 summit is set to take place in November in Gyeongju, with Chinese President Xi Jinping anticipated to visit South Korea for the event.
Dai underscored the importance of the summit meetings for fostering high-level interactions and advancing bilateral relations between the two nations. He expressed China's desire to enhance communication and cooperation with South Korea to establish a conducive environment for achieving these objectives.
The envoy pointed out the challenging global landscape surrounding both countries, stressing the mutual benefit of overcoming obstacles with determination to further develop their relationship. Despite prevailing unilateralism and protectionism across the globe, he affirmed that the reciprocal nature of South Korea-China cooperation remains intact, advocating for collaborative efforts to discover new growth avenues and elevate their partnership.
Dai also noted the relatively low level of friendship between the peoples of South Korea and China, urging more active exchanges among youths, private sectors, and regions to fortify bilateral ties. The reception on Tuesday saw the attendance of around 600 individuals, including former National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, current Deputy Speaker Lee Hack-young, and Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Byung-won from South Korea.