Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to President Lee Jae-myung today (the 15th) on the 78th anniversary of the establishment of the South Korean government, stating that he attaches great importance to the development of bilateral relations.

According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, President Xi stated in the message, "China and South Korea are important neighbors and cooperative partners," emphasizing that "over the 34 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have helped each other achieve successes through joint efforts, realized common development, and reaped fruitful results in exchanges and cooperation across various fields."

Regarding recent South Korea-China relations, President Xi evaluated that "late last year and early this year, President Lee and I successfully exchanged visits, providing strategic guidance for the development of South Korea-China relations."

He went on to emphasize, "I attach great importance to the development of South Korea-China relations," adding, "I hope to work together with President Lee to guide the strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries in the right direction, bring greater benefits to the two peoples, and make greater contributions to peace and development in the region and the world."

(Photo: Yonhap News)