Korea and China celebrated the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations last year. As the Korean saying goes, a decade is enough to change even mountains and rivers. Accordingly, there have been enormous changes in Korea-China relations over the last two decades.

Before the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, the Chinese said that running water carves a gulley. Today, there is not a mere gulley between our two countries but large paths via air and sea. In 2011, 6.68 million Koreans and Chinese visited each other’s countries and $245.6 billion worth of goods traveled across the West Sea along these paths.

As close neighbors, Korea and China have enjoyed a history of amiable exchanges that span thousands of years, and in the past 20 years we have recorded a new page in history. Bilateral relations grew at an astonishing rate in the fields of economy and commerce, human and cultural resources, and politics and diplomacy.

When diplomatic relations were established in 1992, bilateral trade was only $6.4 billion per year. Today, it has grown to 37 times that, reaching $245.6 billion in 2011. Now China is Korea’s biggest trading partner and Korea is China’s third-largest trading partner. Korea’s trade volume with China exceeds its combined trade volume with Japan and the United States, which are Korea’s second- and third-largest trading partners.

Accumulated Korean investment in China was only $200 million in 1992, but now it exceeds $50 billion. Korean and Chinese students travel to each other’s countries to study and prepare for a brighter future.

Following the establishment of diplomatic relations, both Korea and China have achieved astonishing economic growth in the past 20 years, which has garnered global interest.

Our diplomatic relations have contributed greatly to both countries’ phenomenal economic growth, and this growth in turn provided us with excellent opportunities that spurred the further development of Korea-China relations. This led to a virtuous circle of economic growth and deepening of our relationship.

The year 1992 was a historic year. China’s chief architect of reform, Deng Xiaoping, further spurred open-door policies on his landmark visit to southern Chinese cities, and he resolved to establish diplomatic ties with Korea.

Our diplomatic relations are the fruit of China’s open-door reforms and Korea’s “Diplomacy Towards the North” working in tandem. When we look back on the past two decades, we can take joy in Deng’s vision being faithfully realized.

When we drink water from a well, we must remember our forebears who dug the well for us. In the same vein, as we enjoy our ties today, we should remember and appreciate our past leaders who set the foundations for those diplomatic relations.

For the past 20 years, Korea-China relations have faced their fair share of challenges. However, we overcame those obstacles and in 2008 we agreed to elevate our ties to strategic partnership. In addition, negotiations are currently under way for a Korea-China free trade agreement; if the FTA is concluded, it will further vitalize our bilateral relationship.

The Korea-China relations will face challenges for some time to come, but I believe that our respective governments have the determination and wisdom to overcome any difficulty.

We hope that sincere and positive exchanges between our peoples will continue to grow more profoundly in proportion to the exchanges of human resources and goods, which grew exponentially during the past 20 years.

We believe it is time for us to pursue common security goals based on our successful economic cooperation. Our differing historical perspectives are the biggest challenges that we face. It is no easy task to share an objective historical perspective, but this is not an impossible task when each country looks through the other’s eyes and feels with the other’s heart. Through this process, our ties will grow even more mature.

The core value of China’s diplomatic policy towards neighboring countries is co-prosperity through pursuing peace with its neighbors and helping them achieve stability and prosperity. Benevolence and harmony lay at the center of China’s political tradition and a philosophy of peace has been held in the highest regard in China for thousands of years.

With China’s recent rise, there is now a fundamental change in the international order in East Asia. At this point when many countries are contemplating their approach to China, the country’s love for peace should become its fundamental principle.

As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, Korea and China should respect and congratulate each other for all the accomplishments achieved and all the difficulties overcome. As the Korean saying goes, a close neighbor is better than a distant relative.

As we look forward to the next 20 years, it is our hope that our two countries will stand on higher ground and look further into the future. It is our hope that Korea and China should bring their wisdom and strength together to bring forth a new and brighter tomorrow.

By Seok Tong-youn

The writer is secretary general of the Northeast Asian History Foundation and former consul general to Hong Kong. ― Ed.