On June 21, 2005, Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council held talks with Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Hai Chan in the Great Hall of the People. Both sides exchanged opinions on the bilateral relations and the regional and international issues of common concern and agreed to make joint efforts to constantly deepen the all-round partnership between China and the ROK.

Wen said that the China-ROK all-round partnership develops steadily. Politically the two sides maintain frequent high-level contacts and the mutual understanding and trust get increasingly deepened. Economically both sides have become one of the most important economic and trade partners of each other and the bilateral trade and investment develop rapidly. On the regional and international issues the two countries conduct close coordination and collaboration and play an important role in promoting the regional peace, stability and development. Wen stressed that China expects to work with the ROK to further consolidate the political and economic foundation of bilateral relations and promote the faster, better and more solid progress of China-ROK friendly partnership.

Wen pointed out that the constantly expanding economic and trade cooperation is a distinct characteristic of China-ROK relations. To raise the mutually beneficial cooperation to a higher level, the two countries should make further efforts in the following aspects: first, to develop the long-term plan for the bilateral economic and trade cooperation and implement the plan in specific cooperation areas. The governmental negotiations on the establishment of the free trade area should be launched as soon as possible; second, to constantly expand the cooperation areas and continue to promote the cooperation in such fields as new and high-tech, infrastructure construction, the service industry and large projects. The ROK businesses are welcomed to play an active part during the implementation of the strategies of western development and the Northeast old industrial bases rejuvenation while investing in the eastern costal areas of China; third, to properly handle the problems of bilateral trade. China hopes the ROK pays attention to the imbalance of bilateral trade and continues taking effective measures in terms of market access and increasing import from China.

Talking about the regional and international affairs, Wen emphasized that both China and the ROK are important countries in the region and should make further use of their respective influence to jointly promote the regional cooperation and realize common prosperity. Currently all the parties concerned are working hard to push for the resumption of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue. China suggests that dialogue and negotiations are the only correct choice to solve the nuclear issue and utmost efforts should be made to solve the issue through peaceful means. All parties concerned should seize the opportunity and show flexibility and sincerity to create conditions for the resumption of negotiations at the earliest date possible. China is willing to continue to push for peace and negotiations and to that end maintain close coordination and collaboration with the ROK.

Lee Hai Chan fully agreed with Wen's positive comments on the bilateral ties, noting that the constant progress of ROK-China all-round partnership complies with the interest of both sides. He also reiterated that the ROK government's stance on the Taiwan question remains unchanged.

Lee pointed out that over the 13 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the ROK and China, the bilateral economic and trade cooperation has been developing steadily and enjoys promising prospects. He said that the ROK expects to work with China to constantly broaden the bilateral economic and trade cooperation. the ROK will actively push forward the research on the establishment of the free trade area and as suggested by Premier Wen expand the bilateral cooperation areas and encourage domestic businesses to make investment in China's west. The ROK pays attention to the imbalance of bilateral trade and is willing to take further measures to improve the situation.

Lee also made positive remarks on China's important role in the international and regional affairs.