[Xinhua News Agency All Right Reserved]
South Korea and China agreed on an early turnaround in relations that have been soured by the deployment of an American missile shield, saying they would try to find a solution through a channel of military dialogue.
The agreement was announced simultaneously by Seoul and Beijing in the form of a press statement published on the websites of their foreign ministries.
"The two sides agreed to expeditiously put the development of exchanges and cooperation in all fields back on a normal track, sharing the view that strengthening exchanges and cooperation between South Korea and China serve their interests," the South's foreign ministry said in a statement.
Seoul and Beijing revealed a different stand over a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system deployed at a US military camp in South Korea, but they agreed to narrow differences through military talks.
"Attaching great importance to relations between South Korea and China, both sides decided to pursue the development of their strategic cooperation and partnership in accordance with the spirit of bilateral documents," the statement said.
The THAAD battery has been a sensitive diplomatic issue among China and other nations around the Korean peninsula. Beijing argues that the missile shield's powerful X-band radar capable of monitoring Chinese troop movements.
China's informal trade and economic retaliation intensified after US troops brought in a missile shield to intercept North Korean ballistic missiles in April. Chinese consumers shunned South Korean products while Seoul has adopted a cautious and patient approach despite growing public anger.
In Tuesday's statement, Seoul dismissed Beijing's argument that the THAAD battery hurts China's strategic and security interests while China repeated its earlier position. "At the same time, China took note of the position expressed by South Korea and hoped that the Korean side would deal with relevant issues appropriately."
Foreign Ministry spokesman Noh Kyu-duk said Tuesday's announcement reflected efforts to "balance the positions and interests" of both parties.
"Under the recognition that it is important for us to normalize relations between South Korea and China and resolve the difficulties that our people and corporations face, negotiations have focused on drawing a common perception," he said.
South Korea and China are still far apart over the operation of a THAAD battery, but Noh called for patience, urging South Koreans to wait for the results of dialogue through military channels.
The two nations reaffirmed their joint efforts to peacefully denuclearize North Korea. "To this end, the two sides agreed to further strengthen strategic communication and cooperation," the statement said.
In the first step toward normalizing ties, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a summit next week on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Vietnam, the president's office said. At a parliamentary audit Monday, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha vowed to push for Moon's trip to Beijing by the end of this year.
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
