President Xi Jinping and his counterpart from the Republic of Korea, Lee Jae Myung, witnessed the signing of 15 cooperation documents after holding talks on Monday.

It comes a day after Lee arrived in Beijing for a state visit.

Xinhua News Agency reported that they signed agreements in fields including scientific and technological innovation, ecological environment, transportation, and economic and trade cooperation.

During the meeting, Xi said both countries should join hands to safeguard the fruits of the victory in the Second World War and protect peace and stability in Northeast Asia, Xinhua reported.

He noted that more than 80 years ago, the two peoples made tremendous sacrifices and was victorious against Japanese militarism.

China and the ROK, he said, shoulder important responsibilities in maintaining regional peace and promoting global development, and share a wide range of common interests.

He noted that the two countries should firmly stand on the right side of history and make the right strategic choices, Xinhua added.

For his part, Lee said the summit is an important opportunity to make 2026 the first year of "full-scale restoration of China-Korea relations".

"I believe that efforts to develop the strategic cooperation and partnership between the two countries into an irreversible trend of the times will continue," he said.

It was the second meeting between the two leaders in two months.

They last met in November on the sidelines of the Apec summit in the city of Gyeongju. (Agencies)
_____________________________
Last updated: 2026-01-05 HKT 21:17