President of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Lee Jae Myung, arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a state visit.

It is Lee's first visit to China since he took office.

In a statement, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said China and the ROK are important neighbours and partners.

“It is expected that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, this visit will play an active role in promoting the further development of the China-ROK strategic cooperative partnership,” the spokesperson said.

Lee, accompanied by a delegation of business and tech leaders, is looking to expand economic cooperation in meetings with President Xi Jinping and other top officials.

"China is a very important cooperative partner in moving toward peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula," Lee said during a meeting with Korean residents in Beijing, according to Yonhap news agency.

The ROK leader added that his visit would "restore and upgrade" ties between the two countries. (Xinhua/AFP)