China and South Korea (ROK) should join forces to protect the fruits of victory in World War II and safeguard peace and stability in Northeast Asia, Chinese President Xi Jinping said during talks with ROK President Lee Jae Myung in Beijing. Lee arrived in China on a state visit, confirming the importance of bilateral relations between the two countries.
„More than 80 years ago, both nations made enormous national sacrifices and triumphed over Japanese militarism,“ Xi reminded. He said China and South Korea today bear an important responsibility for maintaining regional peace and promoting global development. „Both countries share a wide range of common interests and should stand firmly on the right side of history,“ Xi added.
President Xi stressed that as close neighbors and friends, China and the ROK should maintain close exchanges, frequent communication and mutual engagement. „China has always placed relations with the ROK high on the agenda of its neighborhood diplomacy and has maintained consistency and stability in its policy toward South Korea,“ Xi said.

During the discussion on the strategic partnership, Xi stressed the importance of developing cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence, green industries and the silver economy. „Cooperation in these areas will bring concrete results for both countries and strengthen their position in global development,“ He said. Xi also called for strengthening people-to-people exchanges, especially among youth, media, sports organizations, think tanks and local governments, so that positive narratives dominate public debate.
President Lee praised the historic preservation of Chinese relics associated with South Korea's independence and recalled the importance of cooperation against Japanese militarism. Lee stressed that bilateral relations have a long history of friendly exchanges and significant contributions to the socio-economic development of both countries. He expressed support for seizing the opportunities presented by China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) to achieve concrete results in cooperation.
After the talks, the two presidents watched the signing of the 15 cooperation documents, covering scientific and technological innovation, the environment, transport and economic and trade cooperation. These steps are intended to strengthen bilateral relations and bring real benefits to the people of both countries, according to Xi and Lee.
The presidents also stressed the need to resolve differences through dialogue and consultation, to respect each other's development paths and to protect each other's core interests. Both countries pledged to promote genuine multilateralism, fight protectionism and contribute to a more equal and inclusive global economic environment.