South Korea plans to hold a Korea-China economic ministers' meeting in China within this year, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol said.
Koo announced on his X account, formerly Twitter, on Thursday that he had exchanged views on recent economic issues, including the Middle East situation, and on the direction of Korea-China economic cooperation over dinner with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Incheon the previous day.
"Korea and China agreed to strengthen economic cooperation centered on advanced industries, supply chains, and the digital and green transitions, and to accelerate follow-up negotiations on services and investment under the Korea-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA)," Koo said. "To put this into concrete form, we plan to hold a Korea-China economic ministers' meeting in China within this year."
The Korea-China economic ministers' meeting is a ministerial-level consultative body in which Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance and China's National Development and Reform Commission discuss pending economic cooperation issues. The most recent meeting was the 18th, held virtually in May 2024. If this year's meeting takes place, it will mark the resumption of the economic ministers' meeting after about two years.
"I will continue to communicate more closely with Vice Premier He Lifeng and make ongoing efforts to strengthen Korea-U.S. and Korea-China economic cooperation and enhance mutual trust," Koo stressed.
