China's top envoy in South Korea on Friday called for the two neighbors to get back to the basics in diplomacy in order to resolve the current row that is overshadowing the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties next week.

South Korea and China have been at odds over the deployment of a US missile shield called THAAD being installed in South Korea, which Beijing claims could harm its strategic interest.

"Looking ahead, sticking to the basics, holding hands and going forward, I am sure that China-South Korea relations will be able to usher in a new and beautiful future after getting over the hurdles," Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Qiu Guohong said at a forum in Seoul.

The forum was held to review the progress in relations since the two countries established diplomatic ties a quarter century ago.

The ambassador said that the basics refer to respecting each other's key interests and desires, seeking to advance friendly relations further, working together to secure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and jointly contributing to global peace and prosperity.

Regarding the prolonged dispute over the THAAD system, the ambassador struck a hopeful note, not going into details on how to resolve it.

"I think we can and must solve any problem," he said. "And things hinge on what attitudes and methods can be taken."

In a forum held on the southern resort island of Jeju on Thursday, Qiu voiced his deep concerns over the THAAD issue, saying it is "the most difficult challenge" confronting the two nations in the past 25 years. (Yonhap)