By Michael Ha
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak, who is currently on a four-day state visit to China, is making a special effort to pay respects to victims of the devastating Chinese earthquake and mourn their losses.
President Lee, who arrived in Beijing Tuesday, has been extending Korea's deep sympathy to those killed in the massive earthquake and pledged assistance in the region's rebuilding efforts.
Lee's state visit to China comes just two weeks after a quake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale hit Sichuan Province, a mountainous region in western China.
According to Chinese officials, the death toll from the May 12 quake has already passed 60,000 and could rise to 80,000 or more.
The President, upon arrival at Beijing International Airport, refrained from waving his hands at Chinese dignitaries while disembarking from the plane.
A senior presidential aide told reporters that Lee had decided hand-waving would have been inappropriate in a country that is still in a state of mourning.
He also paid his condolences during the summit with Chinese President Hu Jintao and at the joint press briefing after the meeting. In return, Chinese President Hu thanked President Lee for his condolences.
The two leaders held a summit at the Great Hall of the People, where they discussed upgrading South Korea-China bilateral relations to a ``strategic partnership.''
At the press conference, President extended his sympathy and paid respects to the quake victims. ``I am confident China will reemerge from its sorrow and recover and rebuild in a short time,'' President Lee said. ``I am also confident China will be very successful in hosting the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a great celebratory event that will unite the world.''
President Lee will also extend Korea's condolences and pledge Korea's help during his successive meetings with senior Chinese officials, including Premier Wen Jiabao and Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Prior to embarking on his trip to China, President Lee also visited the Chinese Embassy in Seoul to extend Korea's sympathy to those killed in the massive quake.
Korea had earlier dispatched an emergency rescue team and sent relief materials to China to help earthquake victims.