Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy Han Zheng (L), who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Seoul, South Korea, Feb. 8, 2018. Han was invited by Moon and Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, to attend the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy Han Zheng has met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, respectively, before the opening of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
Han, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, exchanged views with them on issues of China-South Korea ties, the Korean Peninsula situation, winter Olympics and China-UN cooperation, reaching positive consensus during his trip.
FURTHER ENHANCING CHINA-SOUTH KOREA TIES
Han met with Moon Jae-in on Thursday and conveyed Xi's greetings to Moon and Xi's wishes that the PyeongChang Winter Olympics would achieve a great success.
China and South Korea are close neighbors geographically and natural partners. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992, their relationship has achieved development in an all-round manner, Han said.
Recalling Moon's successful state visit to China in December and his telephone conversation with Xi at the beginning of this year, Han said the two leaders had reached important consensus on developing bilateral ties as well as strengthening coordination on key international and regional issues.
Guided by the consensus of the two leaders, China is willing to work with South Korea to insist on mutual respect and support, fully embark on communication and dialogue at all levels, further stimulate exchanges and cooperation, properly handle sensitive issues, and increase mutual understanding and trust, in order to push for constant progress in bilateral relations, Han told Moon.
For his part, Moon asked Han to convey his cordial greetings to Xi and thanked Han for attending the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
South Korea and China are important neighbors and cooperative partners and bilateral ties are now at a new starting point, said the South Korean president.
South Korea is willing to work in a positive manner with China to enhance political mutual trust and friendship, boost exchanges at all levels, deepen pragmatic cooperation, strengthen coordination on international and regional affairs and push forward the development of the South Korea-China strategic cooperative partnership, Moon said.
POSITIVE CHANGES IN PENINSULA SITUATION
On the Korean Peninsula issue, Han said the situation on the peninsula is undergoing positive changes as South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) took the opportunity of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics to restart dialogue and commence cooperation. The relationship between the two sides has been improved.
China supports the conciliation and cooperation between South Korea and the DPRK, and hopes that relevant parties would meet each other half way and make joint efforts to further ease tensions on the peninsula and push forward the political settlement process of the peninsula issue, Han said.
Expressing his appreciation for China's positive role in improving the situation on the Korean Peninsula, Moon said his country is willing to maintain communication and coordination with China to push forward the inter-Korean dialogue facilitated by the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, to solve the peninsula issue through peaceful means and to achieve sustainable peace and prosperity in the region.
Moon is scheduled to have lunch with a high-ranking DPRK delegation, led by Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly on Saturday.
On Sunday, the 140-member Samjiyon orchestra from DPRK will bring its second concert to South Korean audience at the National Theater of Korea in Seoul. It has completed the first one in Gangneung on Thursday night.
COMMITMENT TO 2022 BEIJING WINTER OLYMPICS
Han met Friday with Bach, president of the IOC, saying that China attaches importance to the significant role of the Olympic Movement in economic and social development, adding that China is willing to make greater contributions to the Olympic affairs.
China attaches great importance to and strongly supports the preparations for the Beijing Winter Olympics, Han said.
China will fully honor the commitment it made when bidding for the 2022 Winter Olympics, faithfully follow the Olympic Agenda 2020, hold on to the idea of hosting the Games on a green, sharing, open and clean basis, in order to deliver to the world a splendid, fantastic and extraordinary Winter Olympics, Han added.
Bach, for his part, spoke highly of China's preparations for the Beijing Winter Olympics, saying that he believes China will deliver a green, clean, high-tech and sustainable Games. The IOC will continue its close collaboration and cooperation with China to ensure a successful 2022 Winter Olympics, he said.
Han also met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres here Friday.
Han said President Xi's vision to foster a new type of international relations and build a community with a shared future for mankind, has been incorporated into UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, and become an international consensus.
China always supports the UN in playing a positive role in international affairs, resolutely upholds the world body's authority and stature, and will continue to actively participate in and support the UN's work in various fields, Han said.
He added that China will facilitate building a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, and actively promote the international cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa based on ancient land and maritime trade routes.
The Chinese envoy said China will push for an economic globalization that is more open and inclusive, more balanced, more equitable and beneficial to all, and remain a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of the international order.
Guterres said the UN highly values China's international stature and influence, and is willing to work closely with China to address various challenges facing the world.