On April 12, 2002, Premier Zhu Rongji met with Lee Han-dong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea (ROK), who came to attend the first annual conference of Boao Forum for Asia, at Boao, Hainan Province.

Zhu extend a welcome to Lee for his attending of the annual conference. He said that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the ROK, and also a year of exchanges between the peoples of the two countries. Sino-ROK relations have made great progress, with remarkable achievements in the past 10 years and the cooperative partnership between the two countries has stepped up to a new stage of full cooperation. The ROK is an important neighbor of China's. To constantly develop a partnership of cooperation with the ROK is a set policy of the Chinese government. China-ROK relations are at an important stage of serving as a link between the past and future. The Chinese side is ready to work with the ROK side to further enrich the content of bilateral partnership of cooperation and promote the all-round development of bilateral relations in the new century.

Lee said that ROK President Kim Dae-jung attaches great importance to the Boao Forum for Asia and congratulated China on the success of the first annual conference of the forum. Kim hoped that people from all walks of life would, through the forum, produce good ideas for the prosperity of Asia. Lee agreed with Zhu on his assessment of bilateral relations. The ROK and China have made effective cooperation in many fields, especially economy and trade, and he expected cooperation in the information industry, telecommunications and environmental protection would be further improved. The ROK government and enterprises are very much interested in the development of western China and want to take an active part in the drive.

Zhu hoped that China and the ROK will, in the spirit of mutual cooperation and accomodation, continue to maintain and promote the development momentum of China-ROK economic cooperation and trade.