President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday kicked off his four-day state visit to China, focusing on economic issues as well as the need to shield Seoul-Beijing relations from “outside elements.”

Speaking at a business event involving Korean and Chinese industry and government officials in Beijing, Moon highlighted the two countries’ economic cooperation and called for further developments.

“Over the past 25 years, China has undergone brilliant economic growth, and Korea and China have become sturdy partners in each other’s economic development,” Moon said, before going on to address recent difficulties. Following Seoul’s decision to deploy a US anti-missile system, bilateral relations turned sour, with various economic retaliation measures taken against South Korean entities on the tacit approval of Beijing. 

Citing a Korean proverb “the ground hardens after a rain,” meaning strength grows from difficulties, Moon said that the recent difficulties will lead to stronger ties between the two countries. The South Korean president had cited the same proverb during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Vietnam in November,

In his address, Moon called for establishing a relationship of future-oriented economic cooperation, suggesting three principles and eight major directions for achieving the goal.

The three principles are systemizing economic cooperation, establishing a reciprocal economic cooperation framework and “people-centric cooperation,” which Moon described as cooperation based on cultural and human exchanges.

As for the eight directions, Moon began with the Korea-China Free Trade Agreement, saying the deal forms the foundations of economic cooperation.

“The execution of the FTA must be monitored constantly, and trade barriers such as nontariff barriers, customs and quarantine (measures) must be lowered further,” Moon said.

“At tomorrow’s summit meeting with Xi, a memorandum of understanding to begin service and investment negotiations will be signed.”

Moon also listed increasing online trade and increasing cooperation in rising industries such as the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence as key areas the two countries must collaborate on.

In line with his domestic economic policies, Moon highlighted the need for more investment and cooperation in supporting startup businesses and for developing renewable energy technologies.

Moon also listed cooperation in environment, Korean and Chinese entities working together to enter other countries’ markets for infrastructure development and increasing exchanges in the private sector.

“If the two countries built the causeway of friendship and cooperation over the past 25 years, the next 25 years is the time for launching the ship of mutual prosperity,” Moon said.

“China’s prospering helps Korea to prosper, and Korea’s prosperity is helpful to China prospering.”

On his first day, Moon also highlighted the need for more stable relations between Seoul and Beijing.

At an earlier event meeting China-based Koreans, Moon said the two countries need to take relations beyond economic ties.

“Over the past 25 years, Korea-China relations have advanced in economic areas, but (developments) in political, security areas have fallen short,” Moon said.

“By developing Korea-China relations in diverse areas befitting to economic relations, (I) will prevent Korea-China relations from being shaken by outside elements of conflict.”

While economic issues are likely to dominate his trip, as he is accompanied by more than 200 local business leaders, Moon is also likely to raise issues surrounding North Korea in the series of meetings with Chinese leaders starting Thursday.

Likewise on Thursday, Moon will hold his third summit with Xi, and on Friday he will meet with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People‘s Congress Zhang Dejiang and Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, after delivering a speech at Peking University.

Moon will then move on to Chongqing, where he will visit the site of the provisional government of Korea during the Japanese occupation of the Korean Peninsula and meet with Chen Min’er, secretary of the Communist Party of China for the city.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)