From July 3 to July 4, 2014, President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK). Upon the conclusion of the visit, Foreign Minister Wang Yi introduced the relevant information about this visit to the accompanying journalists.

Wang Yi said that China and the ROK are close in geography, friendly in relations between the peoples, and connected in culture. Since the establishment of the diplomatic relationship 22 years ago, the bilateral relations have enjoyed a comprehensive and rapid development and the two countries have established strategic partnership of cooperation. China is the largest trade partner, largest export market, largest source of import, and largest overseas investment destination of the ROK, and the ROK is also one of the most important trade and investment cooperative partners of China. Besides, the two countries boast each other's largest overseas tourism destination and largest source of overseas students. Last year, the personnel exchanges between the two countries broke through 8.2 million person times. The two peoples are very familiar with and fond of each other's culture which radiates each other's beauty and brings out each other's best. The two sides maintain close communication and coordination in regional and international affairs. The China-ROK cooperation has not only tightened the ties of interests between the two countries, but also shortened the distance between the two peoples, laying a solid foundation for the long-term development of the bilateral relations.

Wang Yi said in his introduction that President Xi Jinping's visit to the ROK this time is like a call on relatives or a drop in neighbors, aiming to strengthen the friendship between the two peoples and promote the China-ROK relations to a new high once again. President Xi Jinping had a long talk with President Park Geun-hye and made a top-level design of the bilateral relations. President Xi Jinping met with Speaker of the National Assembly, Prime Minister and parliament members of all parties of the ROK. In addition, he also had extensive contacts with people of all circles of the ROK to deepen friendship and promote cooperation. President Xi Jinping pointed out that in the face of new development and new changes in the China-ROK relations as well as the international and regional situation, both sides should take a broader vision and aim greater and higher. China and the ROK should become partners who will realize common development, be committed to peace in the region, join hands to rejuvenate Asia, and promote prosperity in the world. The concept of the "four partners" conforms to the actual demands of both China and the ROK, embodies a general expectation of the international community, enormously enriches the connotation of the China-ROK strategic partnership of cooperation and also charts the course for the future development of the China-ROK relations.

Wang Yi said that this visit first intensified the awareness that China and the ROK provide opportunities for each other and deepened the strategic mutual trust. Currently, the Chinese people are striving to realize the "Chinese Dream" of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and the ROK is also being devoted to initiating the "Era of National Happiness". The two countries share common concept and similar task of development, and both need an external environment of peace and stability, a neighboring environment in particular. The two countries enjoy extensive common interests and great potentials for cooperation. A sound development of the China-ROK relations is essential to realize the development goals of both countries. President Xi Jinping delivered a speech at the Seoul National University, and facing the public of the ROK, he introduced what country China will be, stressing that a China which safeguards peace, promotes cooperation, and remains open-minded to learn from others can provide historical opportunities to strengthen the China-ROK cooperation. The two heads of state summarized the development experience of the China-ROK relations, confirming to respect each other's social systems, development paths and core interests, supporting each other's peaceful development and sharing each other's development opportunities. The two countries will maintain close high-level exchanges, and take full advantage of exchanges and cooperation mechanisms at all levels and in all fields to strengthen communication, and constantly enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust.

Wang Yi said this visit upgrades China-ROK bilateral cooperative level, and promotes mutual benefit and win-win results. Both sides agreed to accelerate the negotiation on China-ROK free trade agreement, and endeavor to conclude the negotiation by the end of the year, which is important and favorable news to the deepening of the China-ROK economic and trade cooperation. In order to achieve the bilateral trade volume target of 300 billion USD by 2015, both sides have decided to better connect respective development strategies, target the strategic emerging industries such as new energies, electronic communication, intelligent manufacturing, environment, high technology, and the green and low carbon as new growth points for cooperation, which charts the course for the China-ROK economic relations to move towards the mid-and-high-end cooperation. The financial cooperation between the two countries has never wasted the opportunity to achieve important breakthroughs, and China will establish the RMB clearing arrangements in the ROK, be committed to setting up a mechanism to exchange RMB and KRW directly, and welcome the investors of the ROK to actively invest in Chinese securities market. President Xi encouraged the industrial and commercial circles of the two countries to seize the opportunity, take advantage of the situation, forge ahead and jointly open up a good future of China-ROK cooperation. Both sides are committed to providing better investment environment for each other and China welcomes enterprises of the ROK to increase investment in the central and western regions of China and to discuss the cooperation between the enterprises of both countries in the third countries. China and the ROK will enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges and host the "tourism year" for each other. To facilitate personnel exchanges and to realize the target of 10 million person times by 2016, China and the ROK will exempt visa application for people with service passports and gradually enlarge the scope of visa-free cases. Both sides will carry out cooperative research in giant panda, which is believed to be another much-told story of friendship between the two peoples. During the visit, China and the ROK signed 12 significant agreements. The China-ROK joint statement confirmed more than 90 cooperative items covering 23 fields, showing the broad prospects of comprehensive and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the ROK.

Wang Yi said that this visit also expands the scope and stage for cooperation between China and the ROK and endows the China-ROK relations with greater responsibility. The ROK is one side of the Korean Peninsula which is on China's doorway. Both countries share important common interests and opinions on the Korean Peninsula issue, on which President Xi Jinping and President Park Geun-hye have exchanged in-depth views. President Xi Jinping stressed that China stands for the settlement of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue. Both sides should keep patience and determination, actively hold talks and keep contacts, mutually show goodwill to each other and take care of the concerns from all parties. President Xi Jinping reiterated that China supports the southern and northern sides of the Korean Peninsula to improve relations so as to eventually achieve independent and peaceful reunification. President Xi Jinping's proposal tackles both the cause and effect of the issue and takes all sides into consideration, not only focusing on current situation but also looking to the long term development. It reflects the objective and impartial position that China always upholds. The ROK side highly appreciates China's efforts in prompting peace talks and is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China. The two heads of state have reached four important consensuses in this regard, namely unanimously emphasizing on realizing the goal of denuclearization and maintaining peace and stability on the Peninsula; unanimously emphasizing that the "9·19" Joint Statement reached by the six parties should be observed and fulfilled; unanimously emphasizing on pushing forward the process of denuclearization with determination so as to solve all parties' concerns; and unanimously emphasizing on creating conditions for resuming talks and building consensus. The four consensuses are reached among the six-party member states after the six-party talks have been suspended. With the positive tone and balanced connotation, the four consensuses will certainly play a positive role in the alleviation of the situation on the Peninsula and the resumption of the Six Party Talks in the next step.

China and the ROK are two important countries in Asia, as well as two major economies in the world. Today, regional cooperation in Asia is burgeoning and the world economy is recovering slowly. President Xi Jinping and President Park Geun-hye share the same view that China-ROK cooperation should make greater contributions to promoting the peace and prosperity in Asia and the world at large. By setting up China-ROK free trade area at an early date, the two sides will join efforts to push forward the regional economic integration, and build an open and integral development pattern in Asia. The two sides will also enhance communication with regard to preparing to establish the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, and will be dedicated to regional connectivity. The two sides also agreed to strengthen the coordinating role of the macro-economic policies, work together closely under the frameworks of the G20 and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), jointly promote the reform of the global economic governance, and build an open economic system in the world.

Wang Yi said that President Xi Jinping received high-standard, grand and warm reception from the ROK side. President Xi Jinping proposed a series of important initiatives on how to improve China-ROK relations, which have received warm responses from all walks of life of the ROK. The timely, all-around and large-volume coverage of media of the ROK emphasizes that the two countries are closely connected, offer opportunities to each other and enjoy cooperation prospects. The coverage also highlights the ruling ideology of President Xi Jinping and the development path of China. For days, the "Chinese wind" has been blowing strongly over the banks of the Han River, with Chinese Dream, ROK dream, and Asian dream being the hot keywords of the public opinions of the ROK. President Park Geun-hye and people from all walks of life of ROK all believe that President Xi Jinping's visit this time is a new milestone in the history of the bilateral relations.

Wang Yi stressed that President Xi Jinping's visit to the ROK this time was brief but quite fruitful and significant, which has attracted tremendous attention and touched the hearts of all sides. This visit has fully embodied China's neighboring diplomatic ideas of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness with neighboring countries, explained the common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept for Asia upheld by China, and demonstrated China's role as a responsible major country in promoting regional and global peace, stability and prosperity. President Xi Jinping will attend the BRICS Leaders Meeting in a few days and visit Latin American countries. And China will also hold the Informal Meeting of APEC Leaders this November, which means that China's diplomacy will usher in some bustling seasons with highlights one after another. Facing the sincere expectation from Chinese people and the complicated international environment, under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the General Secretary, we will continue to forge ahead through wind and waves with determination and create a more favorable international and neighboring environment so as to realize the two centennial goals.