On February 24, 2008, State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan, the special envoy of President Hu Jintao, attended a reception in Seoul, expounding China's policies and propositions on how to develop the relationship between China and the Republic of Korea (ROK).

Tang said in his address that China paid high tribute to and was grateful for the contributions made by different communities of the ROK to promoting the friendly and cooperative relationship between China and the ROK. Tang said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties 16 years ago, the relationship between the two countries had withstood the tests of time and hardship and had been growing in all fronts. China always viewed and promoted the comprehensive partnership with the ROK from a strategic and long-term perspective and placed the China-ROK relationship in an important position in China's external relationships. President-elect Lee Myung-bak stressed on many occasions that he would commit himself to the improvement of the ROK-China relationship, which the Chinese side appreciated very much. The China-ROK relationship was in a new starting point in history and was facing new opportunities for development.

Tang shared his 4-point views on the development of bilateral ties in the future. Firstly, the mega-trend of friendship between the two countries should be held tightly so as to ensure the continuity and stability of bilateral ties. Secondly, the complementary advantages of each country should be tapped; the building of free trade area should be promoted; and new highlights of cooperation in energy saving, environmental protection, logistics, basic science and other areas should be created. Thirdly, the two countries should take the opportunities of the Beijing Olympic Games, the 2010 World Expo in China and the 2012 World Expo in the Republic of Korea to increase the personnel exchange, particularly the exchange between the youth and the media. Fourthly, the two countries should maintain close contact and coordination on such issues as the six-party talks, the regional and sub-regional cooperation in Northeast Asia and East Asia, and the reform of the United Nations and make joint efforts to safeguard world peace and promote common development.

Tang stressed that China would unswervingly pursue a path of peaceful development and an open-up strategy featuring mutual benefits and all-win results. China would always pursue a policy of building good-neighbourly relations and partnerships with its neighbours and strengthen the good-neighbourly friendship and cooperation with neighbouring countries, of course including the Republic of Korea. Tang believed that with the concerted efforts of both sides, the bilateral relationship would move a big step forward.

Park Geun-hye, former South Korean Grand National Party representative and a Member of Parliament said in her address that the relationship between the ROK and China was growing steadily. The exchange and cooperation between the two countries were getting increasingly close. The ROK highly appreciated the efforts made by China in promoting the six-party talks, realizing a nuclear-free Korean peninsula and maintaining the stability and peace in Northeast Asia. Tang Jiaxuan's attendance of the inauguration ceremony of the ROK's newly elected president as the special envoy of President Hu Jintao demonstrated that the Chinese government attached great importance to the ROK-China relationship. It was believed that within the tenure of the new administration, bilateral ties would move further.

The reception was attended by important political figures from the ROK's parliament, existing government and former governments as well as representatives from the business, media, and academia.