Chinese VP starts tour to S. Korea
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Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping Wednesday arrived in Seoul, capital of South Korea, for a visit after wrapping up a tour to Japan.
In a written statement, Xi said China and South Korea are close neighbors and have enjoyed a long-term friendship.
"I will meet friends from all circles, and exchange views with South Korean leaders on bilateral ties and international and regional issues," he said.
During his stay in South Korea, Xi is expected to meet with South Korean President Lee Myung Bak, National Assembly Speaker Kim Hyong-O, and Prime Minister Chung Un Chan.
"I believe my visit will further mutual understanding, trust, and cooperation, and push forward the strategic and cooperative partnership between China and South Korea," Xi said.
Before arriving in South Korea, Xi met separately with Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and Social Democratic Party (SDP) leader Mizuho Fukushima on Wednesday on the third and final day of his visit to the country.
The visit, though brief, was rich in content, Xi said. Japan is the first stop of Xi's current four-nation Asian tour.
"The visit has helped promote our mutual understanding, boost bilateral exchanges, enhance cooperation and deepen the friendship," he said.
Xi said he had a first-hand understanding of the strong wishes of the people from various walks of life in Japan to push forward the China-Japan relations.
An unprecedented good momentum now exists for bilateral relations, Okada said at the meeting, adding that both sides have made a good start in bilateral relationship since the new administration of Japan took office.
The Japan-China relationship is becoming increasingly important as the advent of the age of Asia is fast approaching, he said, adding that Japan is willing to deepen its ties with China, by expanding bilateral cooperation in various areas and making continued efforts to enrich the content of the Japan-China strategic and mutually beneficial relationship.
When meeting with Fukushima, Xi said the SDP has always attached great importance to the China-Japan relations and has carried out party-to-party exchanges with the Communist Party of China back since 1983, making important contributions to the development of friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries.
Xi hoped the party, a junior coalition partner of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, would play a greater role in advancing bilateral ties.
Fukushima said the SDP has always been proud of its close and friendly ties with China. As a member of the ruling coalition, the SDP is ready to make greater efforts to strengthen friendly exchanges and contact between the two peoples, particularly those between young people of the two countries, she said.
On Monday and Tuesday, the first two days of his visit to Japan, Xi held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Emperor Akihito, parliament leaders, political party chiefs and representatives of China-Japan friendship groups.
After the visit to Seoul, Xi will travel to Myanmar and Cambodia to continue his four-nation Asian tour.
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