Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) and President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Myung-bak inspect an honor guard during a welcoming ceremony held for Lee in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 9, 2012. [Xinhua/Huang Jingwen]

President Hu Jintao said China will continue to support the improvement of relations through dialogue between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK).

Hu made the remarks while holding talks with visiting ROK President Lee Myung-bak Monday afternoon in Beijing.

The two leaders met for the first time since the change in leadership in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) last month.

It is in the interest of all parties concerned to safeguard the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsular, Hu said, adding China is willing to enhance communication and coordination with all relevant parties and make unremitting efforts in this respect.

China hopes the parties concerned will contribute more initiatives that help promote peace and stability on the peninsula, he said.

Stressing that it is the shared goal of the ROK and China to realize the denuclearization of the peninsula and safeguard its stability, Lee told Hu that the ROK appreciates China's efforts and hopes that China will continue to play a positive role.

Analysts said that the consensus reached between Chinese and ROK leaders sets the tone for future coordination on peninsula affairs.

Besides the Korean Peninsula situation, the leaders?also discussed the development of bilateral ties, the 20th anniversary of which will be celebrated in 2012.

Hu said the past 20 years has seen expanding cooperation and exchanges between China and the ROK in areas such as politics, trade and culture, as well as good communication and coordination on international and regional affairs.

He also expressed appreciation for the ROK's "understanding and support" on issues including Taiwan and its adherence to the one-China policy.

Lee praised the development of bilateral relations, and called this year an important one for the relations.

The two countries have scored great development of bilateral ties and closer cooperation in various areas in the 20 years. The bilateral relations were especially expanded and deepened since the establishment of the ROK-China strategic partnership of cooperation, Lee said.

Hu said China stands ready to work with the ROK to maintain high-level visits, deepen political mutual trust, strengthen dialogues and exchanges between governments, parliaments and political parties, properly handle sensitive issues and maintain the overall situation of the development of ties.

He called on the two countries to expand cooperation in trade, energy conservation and environmental protection, technology, finance, logistics and electronic business, and to make joint efforts for the realization of bilateral trade of US$300 billion in 2015.

Hu said that China will actively conduct joint research and development under the existing high-tech cooperation framework and promote the construction of a China-ROK industrial park.

He welcomed ROK companies increasing investment in China, and called on the ROK side to make it easier for Chinese companies to invest there.

He said China will strengthen exchanges with the ROK in culture, education, sports and tourism, and support exchanges of visits between localities, non-governmental organizations, media and young people of the two countries.

"These activities are believed to promote the friendship between the two peoples," he said.

Lee agreed with Hu's view on the further promotion of ROK-China relations, which he said is "one of the most important foreign relations" of the ROK.

He said the ROK side was glad to see the expanding cooperation and exchanges in all areas and hoped to make a closer strategic partnership of cooperation with the new starting point of the 20th anniversary of ties.

Lee pledged that the ROK will further strengthen cooperation with China in areas including trade, energy, new energy, environmental protection, finance, tourism and culture, as well as consultation and coordination on international and regional issues, so as to push forward the bilateral ties to a new high.

He also reiterated ROK's adherence to the one-China policy in issues including Taiwan.

According to the Yonhap News Agency in South Korea, once Seoul completes domestic procedures, it is possible that the two sides could announce the start of formal trade talks in the first half of this year.

China-ROK trade volume has exceeded US$200 billion. The trade volume in the first eight months of last year reached US$159.43 billion, increasing 20 percent compared with the same period. The personnel exchanges between the two countries in 2011 reached 6.5 million.

Prior to the talks, President Hu hosted a red-carpet welcoming ceremony for Lee in the Great Hall of the People.

Top legislator Wu Bangguo met Lee on Monday afternoon, and Premier Wen Jiabao will meet Lee on Tuesday afternoon.

At Hu's invitation, Lee arrived in Beijing Monday to start his three-day state visit, the second since he took office in February 2008.