Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju and pay a state visit to South Korea from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 at the invitation of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.

People from all walks of life in South Korea are looking forward to the upcoming visit. They are confident that the trip will enhance mutual political trust, further consolidate economic and trade cooperation, facilitate people-to-people friendship, and steer the China-South Korea strategic cooperative partnership to a higher level, bringing more benefits to the two peoples.

NEW JOURNEY

After 11 years, Xi is set to visit South Korea once again.

"The visit will serve as a significant catalyst to deepen the bilateral good-neighborly and friendly relations. It is anticipated that the leaders of the two countries will enhance mutual trust, build consensus, stimulate more dynamic cooperation and exchanges in trade, economy and cultural ties, and provide fresh impetus for regional peace and development," said Yoon Hu-duk, member of the National Assembly of South Korea.

During his state visit to South Korea in July 2014, Xi delivered a speech at Seoul National University, highlighting the importance of strengthening bilateral friendship and cooperation.

Impressed by the speech, Woo Su-keun, head of the Institute of East Asian Studies of Korea, said: "That visit marked a monumental moment in the development of South Korea-China relations."

"I look forward to hearing Xi's new initiatives for the development of China-South Korea relations," said Woo, who has long followed the ties between the two countries.

Since the establishment of their diplomatic ties in 1992, the two countries have transcended differences in ideology and social systems, and actively advanced exchanges and cooperation across various fields, contributing to each other's success and common development.

In June, Xi had a phone call with Lee, saying that China and South Korea should stay committed to the original aspiration of establishing their diplomatic ties, uphold good-neighborliness and friendship, strive for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, and lift their strategic cooperative partnership to a higher level.

Recalling his several meetings with Xi, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told Xinhua that Xi's upcoming visit to South Korea is a strong signal for deepening China-South Korea relations, adding that as important neighbors, China and South Korea shoulder common responsibilities in maintaining the stability of regional supply chains and promoting regional integration.

Ban, also former South Korean foreign minister, expected that the two countries would take this head-of-state diplomacy as a new starting point, translate the friendship between South Korea and China into concrete outcomes, and make greater contributions to regional peace and prosperity.

Hwang Jae-ho, director of the Institute for Global Strategy and Cooperation, said that the principles of "amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness" underpinning China's neighborhood diplomacy have charted a clear course for regional cooperation.

"Under the guidance of head-of-state diplomacy, China and South Korea can, based on mutual respect and mutual benefit, transcend institutional differences and open up a new chapter of common development," said Hwang.

WIN-WIN COOPERATION

At Incheon Port in South Korea, containers bearing the logos of major Chinese shipping companies are loaded and unloaded by automated cranes before heading to destinations around the world.

This is one of the busiest gateways for economic and trade exchanges between China and South Korea. "Currently, the container trade volume of our port to China accounts for 60 percent of the total trade volume of Incheon Port," said Nam Sang-ki, general manager of Sun Kwang Newport Container Terminal Co., Ltd.

Xi's upcoming visit will "inject new vitality" into such fields as port logistics and equipment manufacturing, and further advance cooperation in building smart and green ports, Nam added.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 33 years ago, China and South Korea have achieved remarkable accomplishments in economic and trade cooperation. In 2024, the bilateral trade volume reached 328.08 billion U.S. dollars, marking a 5.6-percent increase.

With their production and supply chains deeply intertwined, China has been South Korea's largest trading partner for 21 consecutive years, and South Korea is China's second-largest trading partner.

Yoon Do-son, CEO of CJ China, said that the upcoming visit will create a positive political atmosphere and boost confidence among businesses.

"As a South Korean company with a long-term commitment to China, we believe the favorable conditions fostered by head-of-state diplomacy will benefit our localization efforts and win-win collaboration with Chinese partners," said Yoon. "We have always maintained strong confidence in the future of bilateral economic and trade relations."

The China-South Korea Free Trade Agreement came into effect in 2015. Since then, the level of bilateral free trade and investment has continued to rise, with bilateral cooperation expanding from traditional manufacturing to emerging fields such as high-end manufacturing, cross-border e-commerce and the digital economy.

Park Soong-chan, chairman of Korea China Association and professor of Yong In University, said Xi's visit is expected to foster broader and deeper cooperation.

South Korea and China can explore more complementary sectors and carry out future-oriented cooperation as they have respective strengths in green industries, biotechnology and other fields, the professor said.

Today, China's robot vacuum cleaners are popular among South Korean families, while delivery robots are already in operation at restaurants and hotels in Seoul. The growing presence of Chinese innovations in the South Korean market signals a new paradigm for industrial collaboration and interaction between the two countries.

Jeon Byung-seo, director of the China Finance and Economy Research Institute, said this serves as a driving force for promoting industrial upgrading in South Korea.

China and South Korea have huge potential for collaboration in emerging fields such as the digital economy and artificial intelligence, said the expert, noting cooperation between the two countries will enhance their competitiveness in the global market.

Lee Hee-sup, secretary-general of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat, told Xinhua that China is focusing on developing new quality productive forces, which will bring new opportunities to the global economy, adding that Xi's visit will not only advance the further development of bilateral economic and trade relations, but also inject new confidence and vitality into economic cooperation across the Asia-Pacific.

DEEP-ROOTED FRIENDSHIP

Leaders from both countries emphasized in their June phone talk that both sides should deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges to enhance mutual understanding and cement public support, so as to plant the seeds of China-South Korea friendship deep in the hearts of the two peoples.

Independent travel to China has grown strongly after China implemented a trial visa-free policy for South Korean citizens last November.

From the neon lights of the Bund in Shanghai to the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, more and more South Koreans are exploring China and feeling the warmth of bilateral friendship.

"China's meticulous maintenance of South Korea-related old sites in Shanghai, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Nanjing and other places demonstrates respect for history and also makes the South Korean people deeply feel the friendliness from China," said Nam Jin, deputy director-general for Northeast and Central Asian Affairs at the South Korean Foreign Ministry.

"People-to-people exchanges offer more room for understanding and empathy," said Lee Jeung-eun, president of Chinese Bridge Club in Seoul, expressing hope that Xi's visit will deepen the friendship and trust between the two peoples and act as a catalyst for diplomatic and economic cooperation, guiding the bilateral relationship toward a more positive trajectory.

Communication between people is the deepest bond that sustains the relations between the two countries, said Lee Wook-yeon, dean of the College of Humanities at Sogang University.

Noting that both China and South Korea can understand the Confucian philosophy and talk about Li Bai -- the great poet of China's Tang Dynasty -- together, Lee said: "This kind of spiritual connection is the most enduring power."