On the afternoon of May 27, 2008, Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks with his ROK counterpart Lee Myung-bak at the Great Hall of the People. Both sides agreed to upgrade their "comprehensive and cooperative partnership" to "strategic cooperative partnership" to meet the realistic need and long-term demand for the development of bilateral relations and jointly open up a brighter future for the ties.

Hu said since the establishment of diplomatic ties 16 years ago, with the joint efforts of both sides, bilateral ties have been pushed to one new level after another with frequent high-level exchanges and deepening political trust. "Our bilateral trade has climbed steeply and China has become the ROK's biggest trade partner, importer and exporter," said Hu. Both sides have maintained growth of humanities exchanges and conducted sound cooperation in international and regional affairs. The development of China-ROK relations is in the fundamental interests of both peoples and is also conducive to peace and development of this region and the world at large.

Lee started with expressing condolences to the Chinese government and people for the devastating earthquake in the southwestern province of Sichuan on May 12. He said he believed a united Chinese people would prevail over the disaster and rebuild their homes in the near future. He also believed that China will host a successful Olympic Games. Noting the time-honored exchange history between the two countries, Lee said bilateral cooperation had yielded fruitful results since the early 1990s with the friendship, exchanges and cooperation between both peoples developing smoothly.

"The establishment of a strategic cooperative partnership will usher in a new era of bilateral ties," Hu said. He urged both sides to enrich and expand China-ROK strategic cooperative partnership and push cooperation in all areas to score more fruitful results. To this end, Hu made a four-point proposal. First, strengthen friendly exchanges and deepen political trust. China and ROK should keep frequent exchanges at all levels, make full use of various dialogue and consultation mechanisms and communicate on major issues of common concern. Both sides should properly handle problems in the development of bilateral ties to ensure sound, steady progress of the relations. Second, advance pragmatic cooperation and achieve mutual benefits. Both sides should make adjustments to and enrich the long and medium-term planning of China-ROK economic and trade cooperation and strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in key areas including economy, trade, investment, environmental protection, logistics, communications and energy. They should also study and promote the process of China-ROK free trade area (FTA) in a bid to forge closer economic ties. Third, expand humanities exchanges and consolidate the basis of friendship. Hu called for stronger ties between young people in the two countries to train more new forces for the China-ROK friendship cause. The relevant agencies of the two countries should create conditions to facilitate bilateral personnel exchanges. Fourth, keep closer multilateral cooperation and safeguard common interests. Hu urged both sides to work more closely on major issues concerning northeast Asia security, regional and sub-regional cooperation, the United Nations reform and climate change to make cooperation in this field an important part and pivot of China-ROK strategic cooperation.

Lee said relationship with China is one of the priorities of his country's foreign policy and ROK attaches great importance to furthering ties with China. During his current visit, both sides agreed to upgrade their "comprehensive and cooperative partnership" to "strategic cooperative partnership", which opened up broad prospects for development of bilateral ties. The ROK hopes to maintain high-level visits, strengthen consultations at all levels, keep closer bilateral coordination and cooperation on international and regional issues and expand personnel exchanges, especially those between the youth. Lee also called on both sides to actively deepen and expand bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation on investment, finance, communications, energy, environmental protection, science and technology and exploitation and utilization of new energy resources. ROK welcomes Chinese companies to invest in ROK and supports ROK businesses to develop in China so as to promote cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises. Lee emphasized that the ROK is ready to become a true partner of China and to work with China to push bilateral ties for more in-depth, broader development with enriched connotation and make positive contributions to promoting peace and stability of northeast Asia.

On the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, Hu said it is in the common interest of all parties concerned to continue advancing the process of the six-party talks and gradually fulfill various targets set in the 9.19 joint statement. China would like to make joint efforts with other parties to comprehensively implement the second-phase action to push forward the process of the six-party talks and realize the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. As a close neighbor of the peninsula and a friend of the south and north of the Korean Peninsula, China will as always resolutely support reconciliation and cooperation process between the south and north and play a constructive role in safeguarding the peninsula's peace and stability and in achieving long-term stability of northeast Asia.

Lee said the six-party talks have made headway with joint efforts of all parties concerned. He expressed hope that China, as host country, will continue to play an important role for fulfilling the second-phase action as well as the third-phase action in the future. ROK is ready to work more closely with China in this regard.

After the talks, Hu and Lee witnessed the signing of three bilateral treaties on justice, education and science and technology and jointly met the press.

Prior to the talks, President Hu Jintao held a welcoming ceremony for Lee's visit at the Square outside the East Gate of the Great Hall of the People. President Hu Jintao's wife Liu Yongqing, Vice-Chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee Chen Changzhi, State Councilor Dai Bingguo, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Huang Mengfu, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy Wang Zuoshu, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Minister of Education Zhou Ji, Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang, Minister of Commerce Chen Deming and Chinese Ambassador to ROK Ning Fukui attended the welcoming ceremony.

On the evening of the same day, Hu and Lee also met with Kim Young-suk, director of the rescue team from ROK that had carried out rescue operations in the quake-hit southwest China's Sichuan Province and a representative of ROK volunteers. Hu thanked for the profound sympathy and precious assistance offered by the ROK since the Wenchuan earthquake and spoke highly of ROK's strong support of the Beijing Olympic Games. Hu said at a time when the Chinese people were suffering from the devastating earthquake, the ROK side sent a rescue team in a timely manner to the quake area and went all out together with Chinese people in relief efforts. Hu made positive comments on the excellent performance of the ROK rescue team and their dauntless spirit shown in the relief work. Hu, on behalf of the Chinese people, especially those in the quake area, expressed gratitude to the rescue team.