On May 16, 2022, State Councilor and foreign minister Wang Yi held a video meeting with the new foreign minister of the Republic of Korea, Park Jin. Wang Yi said that distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors. China and South Korea are permanent neighbors and inseparable partners. China has always viewed South Korea and China ROK relations from a strategic and overall perspective. Over the past 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, bilateral relations have experienced storms and achieved leapfrog development, benefiting the two peoples and promoting regional stability and prosperity. Successive governments and parties of South Korea have made efforts to this end, and the experience is worth cherishing and carrying forward. First, adhere to mutual respect. China and South Korea have always respected each other's development path, core interests and cultural traditions and customs. As neighbors separated by a strip of water, mutual respect is the way for neighbors to get along. Second, adhere to win-win cooperation. Over the past 30 years, the trade volume between China and South Korea has increased more than 50 times, and the mutual investment has exceeded US $100 billion. The two sides have achieved common development and prosperity through equal and mutually beneficial practical cooperation. Third, adhere to the maintenance of peace. With the efforts of all parties, the Korean Peninsula has remained peaceful on the whole, providing a necessary environment for the development of the two countries and the region. Fourth, adhere to openness and inclusiveness. 30 years ago, the two countries broke away from the shackles of the cold war and opened a new chapter of cooperation. Today, maintaining regional openness and inclusiveness, preventing the risk of the new cold war and opposing camp confrontation are related to the fundamental interests of China and South Korea. As the Korean saying goes, "gentleman's road". President Yin Xiyue hopes that the two sides will open up a new era of ROK China relations based on the spirit of mutual respect and cooperation. China welcomes this. Standing at a new starting point, we should grasp the right direction and create a new 30 years of greater development of China ROK relations. Wang Yi proposed the "four strengthening" of China ROK relations in the next step. First, we should strengthen communication and coordination and consolidate the foundation of mutual trust. Give full play to the leading role of the head of state's diplomacy, make good use of the dialogue mechanism at all levels, maintain smooth and high-quality political and diplomatic communication, enhance understanding, promote cooperation and control differences. Second, we should strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation and work together for development and revitalization. China's huge market will provide continuous impetus for the long-term development of South Korea. Both sides have their own advantages in digital economy, artificial intelligence, new energy and other fields, and can cooperate to achieve the positive effect of "1 + 1 greater than 2". We should proceed from our respective and common interests, oppose the negative tendency of "decoupling" and "breaking the chain", and maintain the stability and smoothness of the global industrial chain and supply chain. Third, we should strengthen people to people and cultural exchanges and promote the connection between the people. Take the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the "year of cultural exchanges between China and South Korea" as an opportunity to carry out rich and colorful people to people and cultural exchanges, send positive messages to the outside world, and guide the people of the two countries, especially young people, to enhance friendship and reduce misunderstandings. Fourth, we should strengthen international cooperation and maintain regional stability. China is happy to see South Korea play a more constructive role in promoting world peace and prosperity, and is willing to work with South Korea to safeguard the common interests of the two countries, Asia and emerging market countries and inject stability and certainty into the era of turbulence and change. The ROK attaches great importance to developing relations with China and is willing to establish more healthy and mature bilateral relations with China based on the spirit of mutual respect and cooperation. The ROK has always adhered to the one China principle. We hope to take the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries as a new starting point, maintain high-level exchanges, deepen economic and trade cooperation, promote non-governmental exchanges and push ROK China relations to a new level. The ROK appreciates and expects China to continue to play an important and constructive role on the Peninsula issue. The two sides also exchanged views on the new changes on the Korean Peninsula and international issues of common concern. (Xinhua News Agency)