Moon calls for joint economic expansion between South Korea, China
South Korean President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with Chen Min'er, secretary of the Communist Party of Chongqing, in the Chinese city, Saturday. / Yonhap
By Kim Rahn
CHONGQING ― South Korean President Moon Jae-in has called for South Korea and China’s joint efforts in expanding economic cooperation with other nations ranging from Asia to Europe.
He made the remarks Saturday in an opening ceremony of a business forum in Chongqing, which is one of key regions in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative which seeks to link China with Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Europe.
Moon has also pushed for the “New Northern Policy,” which seeks economic cooperation and more exchanges among South Korea, Russia and other Eurasian countries, and the “New Southern Policy,” linking South Korea, Southeast Asian nations and India.
“During the summit, I and Xi agreed to actively seek cooperation to connect China’s initiative and South Korea’s two policies,” Moon said. “I believe linking the projects will help realize peace and co-prosperity of the region.”
Moon said he would support Korean and Chinese companies’ joint business projects to build other countries’ infrastructure.
He called for the need to bolster trades and investments between the two nations and with other countries in the region, adding the involved countries will have to be equipped with international standards in customs and quarantine.
Saying South Korea would strengthen cooperation with China’s local governments, Moon said, “Chongqing is the key region of the One Belt, One Road initiative with 10 percent of annual growth, showing China’s limitless potential for growth.”
About 240 South Korean companies are operating in the city, he noted.
After the forum, he had a lunch with Chen Min’er, secretary of the Communist Party of Chongqing who is said to be one of the country’s next-generation leaders.
Moon and Chen talked about expansion of cooperation between South Korea and Chongqing, restoration of remains of Korea’s independence movement in the city, and assistance for South Korean residents and companies there.
They agreed to resume the project to restore the former general headquarters of the independence army of Korea, which was in the city. South Korea and China had agreed on the restoration under Moon’s predecessor, Park Geun-hye, but the work has been suspended since the two nations had dispute over the former’s deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system.