Chinese President Xi Jinping told South Korea’s Lee Jae Myung on Saturday that he was willing to widen cooperation and jointly tackle challenges, while Lee sought Beijing’s help in efforts to resume talks with nuclear-armed neighbour North Korea.

Lee hosted Xi at a state summit and dinner after an Asia-Pacific leaders’ forum in the South Korean city of Gyeongju , Xi’s first visit to the U.S. ally in eleven years.

Beijing attaches great importance to relations with Seoul and sees South Korea as an inseparable cooperative partner, Xi said ahead of the summit, Lee’s office said in a statement.

Lee, who was elected in a snap election in June, has promised to strengthen ties with the United States while not antagonising China and seeking to lower tension with the North.

“I am very positi

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