State visit by ROK president will put Peninsula on top of agenda

Republic of Korea President Park Geun-hye said on Wednesday that Seoul and Beijing will outline a blueprint for common prosperity.

Park made the remarks in an exclusive interview with China Daily on the eve of her four-day state visit, which begins on Thursday.

Her meeting with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will also put Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia regional affairs on top of the agenda.

This is her first visit to China since taking office and her second overseas trip, following a visit to the United States last month.

"I will work with President Xi Jinping during my visit to outline a new blueprint for the common prosperity of (South) Korea and China looking to the next two decades," Park said.

"We will have in-depth discussions about how to give concrete substance to the (South) Korea-China strategic cooperative partnership, how to work together for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, and how to promote bilateral cooperation on the international stage."

Park, who is familiar with Chinese culture and speaks fluent Mandarin, said she is "filled with special emotion" about the visit in her capacity as president, though she has visited China on several occasions.

Park will meet other Chinese leaders and address business leaders of both countries. She will also speak at Tsinghua University before she visits the ancient city of Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province.

She is being accompanied by a sizable business delegation of 71 entrepreneurs. Park took 51 entrepreneurs to the United States last month, while former ROK president Lee Myung-bak brought a 36-strong business delegation to China when he visited five years ago.