By Lee Hana

The leaders of Korea and China exchanged congratulatory messages on Aug. 24 to mark 25 years of diplomatic relations between their two countries.

In his message, President Moon Jae-in said, "Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1992, our alliance has taken great strides. I place great value on the Korea-China relationship." The president also expressed his hopes that their ties would develop into a strategic and cooperative partnership, one that would contribute to the prosperity and peace of their two countries, and to the world at large.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said, "Over the past 25 years of diplomatic relations, our partnership has flourished, bringing benefits to our countries' citizens. The Korea-China relationship is of great importance to us. Through joint efforts, I hope to strengthen the political trust between our two nations so that we can resolve contrasting opinions with fairness and improve our relations in a stable and sound manner."

hlee10@korea.kr