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Chinese premier in South Korea China strengthens S Korean ties
(about 9 hours later)
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is expected to discuss free trade and North Korea's nuclear weapons programme during two days of talks in South Korea. China and South Korea have agreed to co-operate more closely at talks on ending the North's nuclear programme.
His visit marks 15 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries. At a meeting in Seoul, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun also discussed a possible bilateral free trade agreement.
Bilateral trade is booming, and other ties have strengthened, while Seoul's traditional relationships with Japan and the US have come under strain. Trade is booming and China is now South Korea's biggest export market.
Mr Wen next travels to Japan, where he is looking for a thaw in relations between Asia's two economic giants. Mr Wen's visit is the first by a Chinese premier for seven years and marks 15 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Free trade? "The two sides agreed to strengthen co-operation for continued progress in six-party talks," President Roh's office said in a statement.
Wen Jiabao is expected to use his trip to Seoul to focus on economic relations. Nuclear delay
There is an added sense of urgency given the free trade agreement signed by South Korea and the US last week. China and South Korea, together with Japan, Russia and the United States have been engaging in talks with North Korea aimed at scrapping the North's nuclear programme.
Mr Wen has said he wants a free trade agreement with Seoul as soon as possible. In February, Pyongyang agreed to give up its programme in exchange for economic and energy aid.
South Korea finds itself in a border zone between the American sphere of influence in Asia and a rising China, and it sees an opportunity to win advantage from both sides. But the first step of closing its main nuclear reactor by Saturday has not been taken because of a dispute over North Korean funds frozen in a Macau bank.
The leaders are also expected to discuss North Korea's agreement to shut down its nuclear weapons programme. The US said on Tuesday that Macau would unblock the $25m (£12.7m) funds with Washington's agreement.
China and South Korea are the major suppliers of aid to the North, and have argued for a measured diplomatic approach. The two sides also agreed to set up communications links between their militaries and "consolidate co-operation in the fields of diplomacy and security," the statement from Mr Roh's office says.
Both were wary of the Bush administration's use of pressure tactics against the North, and have welcomed its recent switch to a more conciliatory policy. After the US and South Korea signed a free trade agreement last week, Mr Wen said he wanted a similar deal signed with Seoul as soon as possible.
Trade between the two countries reached a value of $130bn (£66bn) last year, according to Chinese statistics.
South Korea finds itself in a border zone between the American sphere of influence in Asia and a rising China and it sees an opportunity to win advantage from both sides, the BBC's Charles Scanlon reports.
Mr Wen next visits Japan, where he is looking for a thaw in relations between Asia's two economic giants.