President Hu Jintao and visiting Predident of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Roh Moo-hyun vowed yesterday to enhance their co-ordination on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and promote continued dialogue.

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, center, looks at a welcoming party on arrival at the Beijing international airport, China, Monday, July 7, 2003.[AP]

Hu and Roh stressed that both countries share a wide consensus on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) nuclear issue, to maintain the non-nuclearization of the Peninsula and to peacefully resolve the issue through dialogue.

Roh arrived in Beijing yesterday morning. This is the first meeting between Hu and Roh since they both took office.

Before Roh's visit, both sides confirmed that the DPRK nuclear issue would be one of the key topics during his meetings with Chinese leaders.

The English-language Korea Times newspaper said Roh's trip to China should be a golden opportunity for Seoul to seek Beijing's full co-operation on the nuclear issue.

Roh, expressing thanks for China's efforts on the issue, stressed yesterday when meeting Hu that the ROK highly appraises the "Beijing Talks."

Roh said the ROK hopes the talks can continue.

China hosted an initial round of talks between China, the DPRK and the United States in April on the nuclear issue.

China also sent senior diplomats to Washington and Moscow this week to discuss the issue.

On bilateral relations, Hu suggested yesterday to enhance high-level exchanges between the two countries and deepen mutual co-operation in various fields such as the economy and trade, science, energy, finance, culture and education.

He characterized the development of China-ROK relations as "rapid growth, remarkable achievements, vast potential and broad prospects."

Hu encouraged both countries to realize the target of US$100 billion bilateral trade volume within five years.

The trade volume between the two countries rocketed to US$44.07 billion last year, eight times of that in 1992.

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