South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has asked China, as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, to actively contribute to promoting peace.
Yoon held bilateral talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Seoul on Sunday, ahead of a three-way summit that will include Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio the following day.
Yoon said at the onset of the talks that just as the two countries have contributed to each other's development and growth by overcoming various difficulties together over the past 30 years, he hopes to continue strengthening bilateral cooperation amid today's global complex crises.
Li said economic and trade cooperation between Seoul and Beijing have produced results since the establishment of diplomatic ties more than 30 years ago.
He said China will continue working with South Korea to become a reliable good neighbor to each other, and to be a partner to support each other to succeed.
The governments of both countries say the two leaders agreed to resume negotiations on upgrading the bilateral free trade agreement, and to establish a diplomatic security dialogue between senior officials.
A senior South Korean presidential official says Yoon urged China to "play the role of a bastion of peace" in light of North Korea's nuclear development and its military cooperation with Russia.