South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi agreed to regularly communicate in their first in-person bilateral meeting, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

During their bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the G-20 foreign ministers‘ meeting on Thursday, Park and Wang exchanged their views on the active exchanges of the two countries after Korea inaugurated a new administration in May, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The meeting, held in Bali, Indonesia, lasted for about 50 minutes.

“We should build respect and trust and cooperate on an equal footing to develop healthy and mature Korea-China relations for the next 30 years,” Park said in his opening remarks.

“We will actively participate in global efforts to protect the values of freedom and peace, human rights and law.”

Wang said the Chinese government puts great importance on working with Korea’s new administration to improve China-Korea relations.

“We have an opportunity for an important development (of bilateral ties), but we also have some challenges to deal with,” Wang said.

“So we are ready to cooperate with South Korea for a sustainable development of ideal and friendly relations as neighbors.”

The bilateral talks come amid intensifying rivalry between China and the United States. China‘s top diplomat noted how China is prepared to work with South Korea to expand its strategic partnership and maintain stable foreign policies.

Their first bilateral talk was via video call, on May 16, six days after the Yoon Suk-yeol administration was inaugurated.

The conservative Yoon administration has been making clear its intention to bolster its alliance with the US in a series of moves, including joining the US-led economic initiative, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework as a founding member.

Seoul’s Foreign Ministry also said the two sides agreed to have regular ministerial talks and to hold a strategic dialogue with vice ministers in the second half of this year.

As the two countries mark the 30th anniversary of establishing their diplomatic ties on Aug. 24, 1992, the ministers agreed to work closely for smooth economic exchanges of their free trade agreement and the stabilization of supply chains.

Park expressed hopes that the relations between South Korea and China would develop based on shared values and rules and suggested that the two countries cooperate to resolve global tasks and contribute to peace and prosperity of the region and the world.

The Korean foreign minister also asked for China to play a “constructive role” in leading North Korea to dialogue and stop its nuclear provocations that raise tension on the Korean Peninsula.

They also agreed to deepen ties on the economy, culture and environment to establish “healthy and mature” bilateral ties while discussing resuming flights and expanding air routes, with Wang adding that Korea is an “inseparable” neighbor.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)