S. Korea, China hold foreign minister talks in Indonesia on sidelines of G-20 meeting

BALI, July 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi Thursday on the Indonesian island of Bali on the sidelines of the Group of 20 meeting.

In his first in-person talks with Wang since taking office in May, Park underlined the importance of developing the bilateral ties based on "mutual respect" and affirmed the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's policy to play a greater role on the global stage.

"The new government places importance on universal values and principles of the global community," Park said during an opening speech. "(It) will actively participate in the global cooperation and coordination to protect freedom, peace, human rights and the rule of law."

The emphasis on rules was widely viewed as an indirect criticism of China's growing military and economic expansion.

Yoon's foreign policy team has prioritized strengthening the alliance with the United States, which has made China uncomfortable amid an intensifying rivalry between the world's two largest economies.

Wang said China is willing to work with the Seoul government for mutual benefits of the two nations' people and expressed hope for developing "strategic cooperative partnership" as the two nations commemorate the 30th anniversary of establishing their diplomatic relations next month.

"We need to make our respective contribution to peace and development not only in our region but globally," Wang said in the speech translated from Chinese to English.

China has criticized U.S.-led security blocks, like the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the economic intiative in Indo-Pacific region, which was newly launched earlier this year.

ejkim@yna.co.kr
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