China's National People's Congress (NPC) would like to intensify cooperation with the Republic of Korea's (ROK) National Assembly as well as to push forward the overall relations of the two nations, said Wu Bangguo, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, when meeting his ROK counterpart Park Kwan-yong in Seoul Tuesday.

China's new generation of leaders attaches great importance to China-ROK relations and is satisfied with the fruits of friendly cooperation, Wu said.

In 2002, the trading volume between the two countries reached more than US$44 billion and China has become the ROK's largest overseas investment destination. Besides, the personnel exchanges topped 2.7 million last year and more than 70 cities in each country have established friendly relations.

All this was unimaginable 10 years ago, Wu said.

Park echoed Wu's opinion on bilateral ties by saying that mutual understanding and trust, together with geopolitical proximity and economic relations, are important factors to form good relations between the two countries.

ROK-China relations have covered the aspects of governments, parliaments and parties, which truly embody the characteristics of overall cooperative relations, he added.

Besides, exchanges between the NPC and the ROK National Assembly are flourishing, Wu noted. There are not only frequent visits by high-level officials but also exchanges among special committees and friendship associations.

A good consultation mechanism has taken shape between the NPC and the ROK National Assembly in international and regional parliamentary organizations, he added.

Park reiterated the ROK's stance to stick to the one-China policy as well the support on China's position on the Tibet issue.

Wu invited Park to visit China in the near future. Wu arrived here yesterday for an official goodwill visit in the ROK, his second leg of a three-nation tour in Asia which also includes the Philippines and Japan.

In a written address issued at the airport in Seoul, Wu said he will meet ROK President Roh Moo-hyun and parliamentary and party leaders to exchange views on the issues of how to deepen Sino-ROK relations and maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
 
(China Daily September 3, 2003)