S.Korea's Lee, China's Xi talk on phone to affirm cooperation for APEC summit
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping have affirmed their close cooperation for a successful regional economic summit later this year.
South Korea's presidential office says Lee and Xi spoke for about half an hour over the phone on Tuesday.
Xi congratulated Lee on his election victory. Lee thanked Xi, and invited him to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit to be held this year in South Korea.
South Korean government officials say if Xi accepts the invitation, it will be his first visit to the country in 11 years.
Lee asked China to play a constructive role toward peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and its denuclearization. Xi promised efforts to resolve issues on the peninsula.
South Korea's public broadcaster KBS took note that before speaking with Xi, Lee spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru by phone on Monday.
The broadcaster described this as a show of Lee's diplomatic policy, which underscores the three-way cooperation among South Korea, the US and Japan.
China's Foreign Ministry says Xi told Lee that the two countries should jointly safeguard multilateralism and free trade, and ensure stable global and regional supply chains.
Xi sought to work with South Korea amid China's trade friction with the United States.
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