China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) vow to make joint efforts to push forward the all-round and cooperative partnership during a meeting between Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and the ROK President Roh Moo-hyun in Hanoi Thursday evening.

Wen is in Hanoi upon an official visit to Vietnam. He will also attend the fifth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit due to open Friday.

The two sides gave a positive appraisal for the bilateral ties, saying China and the ROK are close neighbors, and the maintenance of the friendly relations between the two countries conforms to the present and long-term interest of the two sides, and is conducive to the regional peace and prosperity.

The two sides also expressed the hope and willingness to achieve a nuclear-free Korea Peninsular, and to safeguard peace and stability of the Korean Peninsular and the northeast Asia.

(Xinhua News Agency October 8, 2004)