Summit in China

[Anchor Lead]

The leaders of South Korea and China have reaffirmed with one another that there must be no war on the Korean Peninsula. President Moon Jae-in is in China for a state visit, where Chinese President Xi Jinping urged him to take measures regarding the U.S. THAAD missile defense system. These may be the first, uneasy steps toward the normalization of Korea-China relations.

[Pkg]

President Moon Jae-in and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, have agreed on four major principles regarding peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The four major principles are preventing war on the Korean Peninsula, its denuclearization, peaceful resolution of the North Korea nuclear crisis, and improvement of inter-Korean ties. The two leaders have agreed to establish a hotline to improve communication, and expand bilateral cooperation to politics and national security as well.

[Soundbite] Pres. Moon Jae-in : "I want to lay a solid foundation for a new era of bilateral relations in a calm manner based on mutual trust and friendship."

Regarding the THAAD issue, the Chinese leader reaffirmed his previous stance and expressed hope that South Korea would take proper measures. The two heads of state stressed the importance of respecting each other's core interests and grave concerns, and treating each other sincerely as close neighbors do.

[Soundbite] Xi Jinping (Chinese President) : "I hope that you will choose the right direction for developing bilateral ties and further strengthening them."

President Moon Jae-in responded by saying that it's important to develop the two countries' relations rapidly based on mutual respect. A high-ranking Cheong Wa Dae official said that at the summit talks the Chinese side did not say anything about its previous opposition to the additional deployment of the THAAD missile defense system. During his stay in China, President Moon visited Peking University in Beijing to deliver a speech on the future of Korea-China relations. He will soon meet with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang before heading to the city of Chongqing.