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| Roh Moo－hyun's visit to further boost Sino－ROK relationship |
| CCTV.COM 2003-07-07 15:07:08 |
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Roh Moo－hyun will be the second South Korean President to visit China in four years, following his predecessor Kim Dae Jung, who came in 1998. Roh will meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao and a number of senior officials. Analysts expect the meetings to further promote the ties between China and South Korea and coordinate their stand on the rising nuclear issue of the DPRK.
South Korean President Roh Moo－hyun's visit to China is his third foreign trip since taking office. The first two were to the US and Japan, and the next one will be to Russia.
Once finished, the four－country trip is expected to help finalize Roh's foreign policy, promoting the "Peace and Prosperity" strategy he advocates.
An important part of that strategy is to develop smooth relations with China, a growing power in the world. Experts do not foresee any major difficulties.
"In the last ten years or more, China hasn't differed much with South Korea on politics. There were just some minor disagreements, but those things are sure to emerge during the course of development of bilateral ties because of insufficient understanding. This also points to the need to further mutual understanding in all spheres," analyzed Piao Jianyi, executive director of Korean Issues Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
In fact, President Roh's visit comes as relations between the two countries are at an all－time high. In Roh's own words, this development has surprised the world, especially since last year when they celebrated ten years of diplomatic ties.
Aside from boosting ties, the rising nuclear issue of the DPRK is also going to top the agenda of the upcoming summit, as China and South Korea are both important parties to the issue.
"The issue of the Korean Peninsula, especially the DPRK weapons issue, is now the focus of the international community. Solving the issue peacefully is important for maintaining regional peace and stability, for peace in northeast Asia and, in fact, the whole of Asia. So we believe the two leaders will exchange in－depth views on the issue," said Kong Quan, spokesman of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a recent phone conversation, President Hu Jintao and President Roh discussed and agreed to a peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue and a nuclear－weapons－free Korean peninsula.
And on Friday, President Roh said the two countries should cooperate continuously for the benefit of peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia.
"Despite its long and complex background, the nuclear issue must be resolved through peaceful dialogue； the Korean Peninsula must be free of nuclear weapons； and in the meantime, the reasonable concerns and worries of the DPRK should be addressed. This is China's position, and also that of South Korea," Piao Jianyi added.
Analysts believe the summit is likely to produce an agreement on the two countries' stance on the nuclear issue.
The first meeting between the new Chinese and South Korean presidents is expected to lay a solid political groundwork for the long－term ties between their two countries. With so much common desire at work, the summit will also contribute to resolving the nuclear standoff on the Korean Peninsula.
Roh Moo－hyun profile
The Republic of Korea's new president Roh Moo－hyun has come a long way from a ramshackle farming village to the Blue House Presidential Mansion in Seoul. For him, the emergence of his country as an economic and technological hub in east Asia and the peace process on the Korean Peninsula are the most important issues for his government.
A self－educated lawyer from a family of peach and chicken farmers, 57－year－old Roh Moo－hyun has said his quest for the presidency stems from a commitment to people's happiness. One of his most frequently－cited quotes is from his inaugural speech. He says: "I will try to become a president, not just for the people who supported me, but also for the people who opposed me in the election."
Roh Moo－hyun has the story of hard－won success that commands great respect among most people in his country. When he graduated from Commercial High School in 1966 in his hometown Busan, Roh didn't have enough money to go to college. Instead, he took low－paying odd jobs and studied on his own, finally passing the state bar examination in 1975. He spent the early 1980s defending student and labor activists, before getting directly involved in the pro－democracy movement in 1987. He won a parliamentary seat from Busan in 1988, then lost it in 1992 election, returning to parliament after winning a 1998 by－election in Seoul.
He has vowed not to forget the country's poor and deprived, and those who were persecuted by previous military rulers of his country. During his run for the presidency, he campaigned on a pledge to heal domestic labor conflicts. On many occasions, he has said that his country needs fairer economic distribution and not just economic growth. During the inaugural ceremony, he unveiled an ambitious package plan, aiming to turn his country into the economic and personnel－training center of east Asia.
On foreign relations, he is widely deemed to be a supporter of his predecessor's sunshine policy towards the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. For him, the de－nuclearization on the Korean peninsula is the foundation of lasting peace and stability in the region. He advocates direct dialogue between the US and the DPRK, to resolve their disputes over nuclear issues. But he also maintains that the continued presence of US troops in the country is conducive to keeping order in the region.
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Editor: Xiao Wei CCTV.com
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