Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks at a forum on China-South Korea economic and trade cooperation in Seoul, capital of South Korea, July 4, 2014. Xi Jinping and his South Korean counterpart Park Geun-hye attended the forum jointly on Friday. [Photo/Xinhua]

President Xi, in his signed article in three major ROK newspapers, pointed out that China has become the ROK's largest trading partner, as well as its biggest export market, largest source of imports, biggest foreign investment market, largest source of foreign students, and the biggest destination for its foreign travel. The two countries have become strategic cooperation partners in the true meaning of the word.

The two leaders agree that China and the ROK will be partners for common development, regional peace, and will jointly promote the prosperity of Asia and the world.

They are determined to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula through six-party talks. President Xi reiterated China's firm stance against any attempt to stir up trouble on the peninsula. Beijing supports efforts to improve relations between the two Koreas.

It is remarkable that all three major ROK newspapers published Xi's signed article on the same day, and he was invited to speak at Seoul University, so he was able to explain what kind of country China is: China will consistently safeguard peace, as the Chinese nation is peace-loving. China insists on peaceful development as a principle, not as an expedient.

China will consistently promote international cooperation, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with its neighbors and benefit them through its own development.

China is a country with an open mind that is willing to learn. The Chinese are proud of their achievements, but will never be complacent. China will listen carefully to the world and learn from it, learn from people of all countries and from all human cultural achievements.

China and the ROK are close neighbors, and a good neighbor cannot be exchanged for any amount of gold. The leaders of both countries regard Xi's visit as a new starting point, from which bilateral relations will be lifted to an even higher level.

The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.h5a3.com/opinion/zhaojinglun.htm

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