1. During his visit to Germany, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se met with Foreign Minister Wang Yi of China in Munich on February 18 and discussed with him in depth the relations between Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China, the situation on the Korean Peninsula and other matters of mutual interest.

2. The two Ministers, taking note of the progress that the ROK and the PRC have been achieving in a wide range of areas over the past four years to move their strategic cooperative partnership substantially forward, reaffirmed the significance of the bilateral relations.

° In particular, Minister Yun suggested that based on a shared view that the “advancement of the ROK-PRC relations represents an irreversible historical trend,” the ROK and the PRC should work together to make the year 2017, which marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations, a stepping stone toward the next 25 years of the bilateral relationship.

3. Minister Yun pointed out that although various challenges could naturally emerge as the relationship grows closer, the general trend in the development of bilateral ties should not be affected by particular issues. On that note, he stressed that the two countries should continue to advance cooperation in areas that underpin the bilateral relationship, including the economy and culture, as well as people-to-people exchanges.

° In addition, the Minister expressed concern that a series of regulatory moves that have recently been occurring in China are being applied not only to the fields of economy, culture and people-to-people exchanges but are being extended to that of the fine arts, and requested that the Chinese government take appropriate measures so that the situation could be resolved as soon as possible.

4. Minister Wang reiterated China’s opposition to the ROK’s plan to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. Minister Yun reaffirmed that the envisioned THAAD deployment is a self-defensive measure against threats from North Korea.

° In particular, Minister Yun pointed out that North Korea’s ballistic missile provocation on February 12 had reminded the international community of its nuclear and missile threats as a present and imminent threat and thereby once again demonstrated the necessity of THAAD deployment.

° He added that it is of paramount importance for the ROK and China to work more closely together to address North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, the root of the issue.

5. Minister Yun, condemning the recent ballistic missile provocation by North Korea, highlighted the importance of China’s active role in the implementation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and other efforts to pressure the North Korea in order to make it change its strategic calculus. In response, Minister Wang, reiterating China’s opposition to North Korea’s launches of ballistic missiles, reaffirmed the commitment of the Chinese government to the implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions.

° Minister Yun commended the Chinese Ministry of Commerce over the announcement of its decision to ban coal imports from North Korea, which Minister Wang called a good case demonstrating China’s resolve to implement the relevant Security Council resolutions.


* unofficial translation