By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
South Korea and China agreed Monday to expand their military exchanges and set up strategic talks between senior diplomats as part of efforts to strengthen their partnership on the international stage.
``Both countries share the goal of fostering stronger ties in the political, economic and cultural sectors,'' said a joint statement issued at the end of a summit between President Lee Myung-bak and Chinese President Hu Jintao at Cheong Wa Dae.
The blueprint is in line with the agreement the two leaders signed in May in Beijing to upgrade Seoul-Beijing relations to a ``strategic cooperative partnership,'' which calls for closer cooperation not only in the economic area, but also in diplomacy, the military and cultural sectors.
In May last year, military commanders of the two countries agreed to begin military exchanges, and three months later, their navies and air forces agreed to set up hotlines to help prevent inter-Korean military conflicts and to help fishing boats in the West Sea.
The agreement however had failed to see any progress.
``The summit will provide a crucial momentum for the stalled military talks between Seoul and Beijing. Working-level officials will soon meet to discuss the establishment of the hotlines,'' a Cheong Wa Dae spokesman said.
The two neighbors also agreed to make joint efforts to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons and programs within the framework of the six-party negotiations.
The Chinese leader arrived in Seoul for a two-day visit, and after the summit participated in a welcoming party Lee hosted at Cheong Wa Dae.
Hu will attend a luncheon with the heads of economic organizations and chief executives of South Korean conglomerates today. He will also meet with Korean leaders, including Prime Minister Han Seung-soo.
It is Hu's second visit to Seoul since becoming Chinese president in 2003, and his third summit with President Lee in three months. Lee made a four-day visit to China in May to meet Hu and other Chinese leaders. Lee was also invited to the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics early this month and met briefly with him.
``Hu came to Seoul only one day after the Olympics ended, which shows how importantly he thinks of South Korea,'' the presidential spokesman said.
Beijing's willingness to strengthen military and diplomatic relations shows the country is seeking to play a constructive role for peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia, according to South Korean officials.
China, host of the six-party talks on Pyongyang's nuclear program, is expected to speed up the process of denuclearizing the North through multilateral negotiations. The six nations are South and North Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia.
China, the North's closest ally, has been urged by the United States to play a larger role in resolving the nuclear issue. Diplomats here say China's roles will depend on the ongoing negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington.
``North Korea and the United States have had difficulty in finding common ground over how to verify the nuclear program. China's engagement in their talks may provide a breakthrough to the stalled negotiations,'' a spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.
Seoul also discussed ways to boost economic ties with Beijing, its largest trade partner since 2002. Both countries are seeking to conduct feasibility studies for a free trade agreement.