China's envoy calls APEC summits important opportunity for high-level exchanges with Korea

Chinese Ambassador Dai Bing enters the foreign ministry building in Seoul, Dec. 30, 2024. Yonhap

China's top envoy to Korea, Dai Bing, has described the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit as an important opportunity to engage in high-level exchanges between China and Korea, according to the Chinese Embassy in Seoul on Wednesday.

The ambassador made the remarks in his speech delivered during a reception at his embassy the previous day to mark the new year and his recent inauguration, noting Korea and China's scheduled hosting of the APEC leaders' summits this year and in 2026, respectively.

The 2025 summit is scheduled for November in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, with Chinese President Xi Jinping widely expected to visit Korea for the occasion.

Dai said the summit meetings are an important opportunity to engage in high-rank exchanges between the two countries and promote the development of bilateral ties, according to the embassy.

China wishes to strengthen communication and cooperation with Korea to create a favorable environment for that goal, he also said.

The envoy noted the world surrounding the countries is not peaceful and various challenges persist in the region, emphasizing that it serves both countries' interests to remove obstacles with firm determination and develop their relationship.

Despite the rise of unilateralism and protectionism worldwide, the reciprocity of Korea-China cooperation remains unchanged, he also said, urging joint efforts to find new growth engines and elevate their cooperation to a new level.

The top envoy also stated that the level of friendship between the peoples of Korea and China remains low, calling for more active exchanges between their youth, private sectors and regions to strengthen bilateral ties.

Around 600 people attended Tuesday's reception, including former National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, incumbent Deputy Speaker Lee Hack-young and Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Byung-won from the Korean side. (Yonhap)