Xi congratulates Lee on Liberation Day, calls South Korea 'important neighbor and partner'

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday to mark the 78th anniversary of the founding of the South Korean government.

In the message, Xi said China and South Korea are "important neighbors and cooperative partners" and expressed his commitment to continuing to develop bilateral relations, citing China's state-run Xinhua News Agency.

"Over 34 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have, through joint efforts, supported each other's achievements and realized common development," Xi said, adding that the two sides had achieved "fruitful results in exchanges and cooperation across all fields."

Referring to recent bilateral relations, Xi said he and Lee had "successfully exchanged visits at the end of last year and the beginning of this year," adding that the meetings had provided "strategic guidance for the development of China-South Korea relations."

Xi said he "attaches great importance to the development of China-South Korea relations" and expressed hope that he and Lee would work together to advance the two countries' strategic cooperative partnership "in the right direction" — bringing greater benefits to both peoples and making a larger contribution to peace and development in the region and the world.