BEIJING’S ties with Seoul got a late start in 1992 when diplomatic ties were established, but relations have surged since.

    China is now the ROK’s biggest trading partner and investment destination.

    According to the Chinese Embassy in Seoul, two-way trade reached a high of US$256.3 billion in 2012, which also saw about 7.2 million visits between the neighbors.

    “Over the past 20 years, [South] Korea-China relations have made remarkable progress. Now is the time for our two countries to elevate the bilateral relationship to a new height,” Park said.

    Referring to bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) talks, she said she “believed it is high time for our two countries to seek a new framework of economic cooperation commensurate with our economic status in the international community.”

    “If a free trade agreement is concluded, it would make it possible for our two countries to enter one another’s domestic market and would make a great contribution to the stable expansion of bilateral trade.”

    Beijing and Seoul started FTA negotiations last year. They are expected to discuss the free trade pact during Park’s visit.

    Referring to another top priority of her talks with Xi — the Korean Peninsula situation — Park said she anticipated the meeting to be “a time for reaching consensus on the trust-building process” on the peninsula.

    She has pushed forward the “Korean Peninsula trust-building process” since taking office, aimed at containing Pyongyang’s nuclear development, pushing its cooperation with Seoul and gradually building trust between the two.

    “It is urgent that the North give up its nuclear program and that credible dialogue take place.”

    Despite the current adverse conditions, Park said she has “a dream of ushering in a new era on the Korean Peninsula by building a regime of sustainable peace on it.”

    She said the door for dialogue between Seoul and Pyongyang remains open, though the ROK will still give “stern” responses to Pyongyang’s “provocations.”

    If Pyongyang responds positively to requests from the international community, “Seoul will redouble its efforts to provide assistance and accomplish common prosperity in both nations,” she said.

    (SD-Agencies)