China's top legislator, Zhao Leji, met with visiting South Korean lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties on Thursday and stressed the importance of bilateral relations.

Zhao, China's third-highest-ranking official and the chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, stressed that the two countries are close neighbors and "inseparable cooperative partners," adding that the pursuit of healthy, stable bilateral relations serves their common interests.

He said good bilateral relations are conducive to regional peace, security, development and prosperity.

As one of seven members of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China, Zhao is a key confidant of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Members of the newly reorganized South Korea-China Parliamentarians' Union traveled to Beijing on Wednesday for a three-day visit.