President Lee Jae Myung says Monday’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping is a vital opportunity to make 2026 the first year of fully restored ties between Seoul and Beijing. 

Lee made the remark when he sat down for summit talks with Xi in Beijing on Monday.

The South Korean president said the roots of South Korea-China relations run very deep, adding that the two countries were friendly neighbors for thousands of years and fought together during periods when their national sovereignty was lost.

Lee promised to continue efforts to advance the two countries’ strategic cooperative partnership before expressing hope that he and Xi, in line with the changing times, can open a new chapter in bilateral ties.

Lee pledged to build a solid political foundation for South Korea-China relations, and for friendly sentiment, based on trust between him and Xi. 

He then said he and Xi will seek feasible steps to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula, while stressing the need for their countries to work together to achieve peace, calling it the basic prerequisite for prosperity and growth.