Korea, China expand relationship

President Kim Dae-Jung expressed gratitude to the visiting Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji for his consistent support for Seoul's inter-Korean policies for reconciliation and cooperation toward North Korea and its principles of resolving the Korean question by the two parties concerned.

At their summit Wednesday, the Chinese premier welcomed the recent series of measures taken by the Seoul government for the improvement in South-North relations, while expressing his support for an independent and peaceful unification of Korea.

President Kim expressed hope for the bilateral cooperation in the sectors of the telecommunications technology of code division multiple access and other mobile telecommunications industries, the permission of Korea's insurance firm's business operation in China, the production of finished cars in China, and the construction of high-speed railways and nuclear reactors.

Zhu expressed hope for Korea's cooperation in up-to-date environmental technologies, and chemical, coal and steel industries.

In particular, Zhu explained in detail his government's plan to develop China¡¯s western region and asked for Korea's positive participation and cooperation in the gigantic project. Kim responded that Korea has a great interest in the development program.

The Chinese prime minister disclosed a plan to establish a Chinese Cultural Center in Seoul in the near future. The two leaders agreed to exert effort for the early implementation of the bilateral criminal extradition treaty that was signed Wednesday.

And the two concurred that the two countries would designate 2002 as the "year for Korean-Chinese peoples' exchanges" to expand their mutual relationship, marking the 10th anniversary of their diplomatic rapprochement and the staging of the 2002 World Cup.

They also reached consensus to endeavor for the successful holding of the Third ASEM conference in Seoul. Acknowledging that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Plus-Three summit (Korea, China and Japan) has significantly contributed to the development of the region, they vowed to exert a joint effort for the successful staging of the forthcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference to be held in Shanghai, China, next year.

Choi Young-Mook ymook@donga.com