Blue House confirms Pres. Moon to hold bilateral summit with Chinese Pres. Xi on Thursday

문재인 대통령, 목요일에 시진핑 주석과 정상회담

In two days' time, President Moon will head to China for a four-day state visit.
And this morning, Cheong Wa Dae... released the South Korean President's itinerary, which will take him not only to Beijing, but on a trip nearly two-thousand kilometers from the Chinese capital.
Our Blue House correspondent Hwang Hojun has more.
There's no doubt President Moon's state visit to China comes at a difficult time, says the Blue House,.. but it is a monumental and necessary undertaking to normalize relations between the two countries after a long diplomatic row over Seoul's deployment of the THAAD system and Beijing's retaliation against it.
The two countries reached an agreement in late October to set aside their differences, and according to the deputy director of Seoul's National Security Office, the event will be a chance to focus on the future of Seoul and Beijing's relationship.

(KOREAN)
"Presidents Moon and Xi will evaluate the past 25 years since Seoul and Beijing established diplomatic relations in 1992, but also discuss ways to cultivate a future-oriented, strategic partnership while reinforcing exchanges and cooperation in various areas."

The day after President Moon arrives in China, an official welcoming ceremony will be held at the Great Hall of the People, which will be followed by an expanded summit and then a small-scale bilateral summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
This will be the third summit meeting between the two heads of state since the South Korean leader took office in May; the first two were on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany and then the APEC Summit in Danang, Vietnam.
The two leaders are expected to discuss ways to peacefully resolve the North Korea nuclear issue.
Moon's trip to China comes two weeks after Pyongyang launched an apparent intercontinental ballistic missile on Nov. 29, resuming its missile provocations after a 75-day hiatus.
They will also exchange thoughts on economic cooperation between the two countries, including ways to link Seoul's New Northern and New Southern policies to Beijing's One Belt One Road Initiative.

(STANDUP)
And the Blue House said earlier that President Moon will stop by the city of Chongqing during his trip.
It's a place that not only holds historical significance for Korea as the site of the nation's Provisional Government during the Japanese occupation,... but also the linchpin of President Xi's policies focused on China's economic cooperation and development.
Hwang Hojun, Arirang News.

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