Lee said in a meeting with Jia Qinglin, National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) chairman, that he would visit the earthquake-hit region in the southwest Sichuan Province.

The president hoped the two nations would grasp the opportunity of establishing a strategic cooperative partnership to continue keeping high-level contacts and deepening cooperation in various fields.

Lee said he would attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games in August.

He applauded China's efforts in pushing for six party talks in the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and in safeguarding regional peace and stability.

Jia told Lee that the establishment of the strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries was of great importance to the further growth of bilateral ties.

China would work with South Korea to increase mutual trust, expand mutually-beneficial cooperation, promote cultural and youth exchange, safeguard regional peace and stability, in a bid to lift the bilateral ties into a new level, Jia said.

He added the CPPCC was ready to increase exchanges and cooperation with South Korea in effort to push forward the development of China-South Korea relations.

Lee is in Beijing on his first state visit to China since taking office on February 25.

(Xinhua News Agency May 29, 2008)