President Lee Jae Myung met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday and said he intends to make this year the first year of fully restored South Korea-China relations and firmly establish the development of bilateral ties as an irreversible trend of the times.

President Lee made the comment during a meeting with China’s No. 2 leader at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

Lee said he and President Xi Jinping agreed during their summit on Monday to further develop the two countries’ strategic cooperative partnership in a way that promotes peace and improves living standards.

He also asked for Premier Li’s support in developing bilateral ties and achieving peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.

In response, Premier Li highlighted that under the strategic guidance of the leaders of South Korea and China, the relationship between the two countries has reached a new level, adding that as they continue to promote cooperation in various fields, the well-being of the people of both countries will continue to improve.

Premier Li said China has always valued its relationship with South Korea and is willing to strengthen strategic communication and solidify mutual trust to move bilateral relations along the right track, and to expand the scope and depth of cooperation to achieve more tangible results.

President Lee previously met the Chinese premier on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia in October of last year and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea the following month.