1. On Wednesday, April 24, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul hosted  luncheon for Mr. Hao Peng, Secretary of the Liaoning Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China who was visiting Korea. Over the luncheon, the two sides exchanged views on ways to enhance substantive cooperation between Korea and Liaoning Province, among other topics. 

2. Minister Cho welcomed Secretary Hao's visit to Korea as the first of its kind by a Chinese provincial secretary since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasized the crucial role of enhanced exchanges between provinces of Korea and China which could help complement the development of the relations between the central governments of the two countries. Minister Cho went on to say that the two countries should use Secretary Hao's visit as an opportunity to sustain their momentum of high-level exchanges. He suggested that the two countries take one step at a time to advance their relations in a healthy and future-oriented direction on the basis of mutual respect, reciprocity, and mutual benefits, in line with the joint understanding reached between President Yoon Suk Yeol and President Xi Jinping in November 2022.

3. Minister Cho appreciated the leadership of Secretary Hao in addressing obstacles facing Korean companies in Liaoning Province* which allowed them to carry out smooth business activities. He expressed hope that Secretary Hao will continue efforts to foster a stable and predictable investment environment, while also asking for his cooperation to ensure stable supply chains of raw materials amidst the evolving geopolitical landscape where economic, security, and technology factors intersect. Minister Cho added that while efforts are necessary to manage risks stemming from over-reliance on specific countries, there is no intention to pursue decoupling from China in terms of supply chains. On that note, he emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to minimize the challenges that geopolitical shifts pose to Korea-China relations. Additionally, he requested Liaoning Province’s cooperation to avoid any inconveniences for Korean residents in their daily lives, as well as its sustained attention regarding the preservation and management of the Korean historical sites** within Liaoning Province. Furthermore, Minister Cho asked Liaoning Province to undertake crackdowns and other proactive measures to eradicate illegal fishing activities by Chinese vessels in the waters near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea.

*Korean companies such as CJ Bio, POSCO CLPC, and SK Hynix have established presence.

**Historical sites related to the independence movement, such as the An Jung-geun Exhibition Room in the Lushun Russo-Japanese Museum (located in Dalian)

4. Secretary Hao shared Minister Cho's view regarding the direction for promoting Korea-China and Korea-Liaoning Province relations. Recognizing the significant potential for cooperation between Korea and Liaoning Province as well as the substantial contribution of Korean companies’ investment and presence to the economic development of Liaoning Province, he expressed hope for more Korean companies’ investment in the region. Secretary Hao shared Liaoning Province's open-door policy and various projects, requesting attention and support of the Korean government. He emphasized that Liaoning Province will play a role in facilitating the advancement of Korea-China relations through economic, humanities and cultural exchanges. Minister Cho and Secretary Hao, sharing the understanding on the great importance of the friendship between the younger generations of Korea and China for the development of bilateral relations, agreed to work together to promote exchanges between those generations.

5. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to actively pursue exchanges between provincial governments of Korea and China, recognizing that they serve as a crucial cooperation platform for substantively leading the development of Korea-China relations, as well as complementing cooperation between the central governments of the two countries.