By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak will return home today, after ending a four-day state visit to China during which the two countries agreed to raise their bilateral relationship to a ``strategic partnership,'' an upgrade from ``partnership of comprehensive cooperation.''
With the two countries agreeing to foster closer ties, President Lee conducted ``economic diplomacy.'' China is currently Korea's biggest export destination ― in 2007 South Korea exported products worth $82 billion, while importing $63 billion worth of Chinese products.
During the visit, President Lee extended Korea's deep sympathy to those killed in the massive earthquake and pledged assistance in the region's rebuilding efforts. He is to visit the quake-hit region before coming home.
Sympathy for Quake Victims
An earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale hit Sichuan Province, a mountainous region in western China two weeks ago.
The first destination for on his overseas trips was the United States as many observers expected. Then he visited Japan on his way home in April.
Though Lee picked four countries ― the U.S., Japan, China and Russia ― as the four major diplomacy targets, his ``favorable'' comments were mainly concentrated on Korea's relations with the U.S. and Japan over the past few months.
Even a U.S. newswire carried an article, headlined, ``New pro-U.S. South Korean president aims to reassure China that he cherishes relationship.''
Some Korean think tanks, including the Institute for Foreign Affairs and National Security, analyzed that Lee's China visit is momentous in resolving misunderstanding in Beijing that the Lee government may have been lax in its relations with China while prioritizing relations with Washington and seeking future-oriented relations with Tokyo.
Lee might have conveyed the message that China is as important as the U.S. to Korea's diplomatic campaign to encourage North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program through his summit talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and meetings with other Chinese leaders, sources said.
The Lee administration and the governing Grand National Party (GNP) believe that Lee and U.S. President George W. Bush established amicable personal ties through a two-day summit at Camp David near Washington, D.C. in April.
Conservatives said the Lee-Bush summit marked a crucial turning point in South Korea-U.S. relations, insisting that their alliance was undermined during the liberal administrations of Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Dae-jung.
In his summit with Chinese President Hu and a meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, Lee reiterated that the Seoul-Beijing relations have been elevated to a strategic partnership from a partnership of comprehensive cooperation under the Roh government.
Lee said the strategic bilateral relations indicate that the two countries will expand cooperation from trade to other fields, including diplomacy, regional security and North Korea policies.
Positive on FTA
While some Korean conglomerates are negative about a free trade agreement (FTA) with China ― a giant producer of cheap industrial goods ― Lee was an active cheerleader for the opening of trade talks during his visit.
A Seoul-Beijing FTA would play a significant role for the development of the economy of Northeast Asia, he said. ``The 21st century is the era of Pan Asia-Pacific. You (business leaders of the two countries) will be the leading players in the region ― a new growth engine for the world economy.''
A ranking Chinese official made sensitive remarks after Lee arrived in Beijing Tuesday, by calling the military alliance between Seoul and Washington a ``Cold War product.''
``East Asian nations has also changed a lot since the U.S.-South Korean alliance was forged in the 1950-53 Korean War,'' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
President Lee Myung-bak will return home today, after ending a four-day state visit to China during which the two countries agreed to raise their bilateral relationship to a ``strategic partnership,'' an upgrade from ``partnership of comprehensive cooperation.''
During the visit, President Lee extended Korea's deep sympathy to those killed in the massive earthquake and pledged assistance in the region's rebuilding efforts.
While some Korean conglomerates are negative about a free trade agreement (FTA) with China ― a giant producer of cheap industrial goods.A Seoul-Beijing FTA would play a significant role for the development of the economy of Northeast Asia, he said. ``The 21st century is the era of Pan Asia-Pacific. You (business leaders of the two countries) will be the leading players in the region ― a new growth engine for the world economy.''
President Lee visited the China to extend the sympathy and for FTA. The earthquake was so severe and cruel for china and it was not their problem. So we should help them to rescue people and improve the relationship with china. And president lee made some agreement about the FTA, the effect of FTA will be enormously arose.
20200041 Kwon hyuck sung
