Chinese, South Korean FMs discuss ties over phone

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his South Korean counterpart, Yun Byung-se, held phone talks Tuesday on bilateral relations. The two foreign ministers fully acknowledged the sound development of China-South Korea relations in 2013. In the new year, Wang said, both sides should implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, boost high-level exchanges, deepen strategic mutual trust and strengthen friendly cooperation in a bid to lift bilateral ties to a higher level. Yun, for his part, said that South Korea thinks highly of China's neighbor diplomacy of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness and is ready to make joint efforts with China to push forward bilateral relations. They also exchanged views on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's recent visit to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine. Wang noted that China and South Korea had strongly denounced Abe's shrine visit respectively. "Our response is just and legitimate. We are safeguarding human conscience, internationally acknowledged axioms and people's dignity of the invaded countries," Wang said. Yun reiterated Seoul's solemn position against Abe's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine. The two ministers also exchanged views on the situation of the Korean Peninsula.