Bilateral relations between China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) are at a new starting point that promises plenty of opportunities for future cooperation, a senior Chinese researcher said in an interview.
Wang Junsheng, an international relations researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, made the comments as China and the ROK celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year.
"In just 30 years, China and the ROK have achieved comprehensive and rapid development in cooperation in politics, economy, culture, and security, among others," said Wang.
Over the period, the relationship has brought tangible dividends for the two countries, he said. They have continuously deepened political mutual trust and become strategic cooperative partners. Trade between the two nations has grown by more than 50 times, and mutual investment has surpassed 100 billion U.S. dollars. In 2019, the number of passenger trips between China and the ROK exceeded 10 million.
Wang also highlighted the high complementarity between the two economies, saying that in the fast-changing global economic market, China -- a tremendous market with buoyant domestic demand -- is very attractive to ROK enterprises.
Wang said he expects the bilateral trade to take a further leap due to the entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership earlier this year and the substantial progress made in the China-ROK free trade talks.
He also anticipated cooperation in the third-party market and emerging industries such as 5G and the digital economy, saying these new areas will spawn more opportunities for the two countries.
Amid the shift toward greener development, China aims to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. Similarly, the ROK has also committed to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The common goal in pursuit of green development will also cement a solid foundation for future cooperation, according to Wang.
Looking forward, Wang expects more steps to strengthen exchanges among local governments, think tanks, the media and non-governmental organizations, so as to enhance the friendship between the two peoples.
Despite the uncertainties brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and regional turbulence, the Chinese researcher is sanguine about the prospects of bilateral cooperation.
"I think China-ROK relations will only grow closer in the next 30 years or more," he said. "The two countries should always be good neighbors, good friends and good partners."
Editor: Leon
