Shanghai: President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that South Korea and China should work to ease negative public sentiment toward each other and develop "good neighborly, friendly" relations to help expand economic cooperation. Lee made the remarks at a welcome dinner hosted by Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining after arriving in Shanghai, the second and last stop of his state visit to China.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee emphasized the importance of building amicable relations to resolve economic issues. He noted that misunderstandings have long affected public sentiment in both countries and have hindered the development of bilateral relations. Lee stressed the need to minimize these misunderstandings and encourage goodwill, aiming to maximize mutual benefits and reduce areas of conflict or confrontation.

Expressing hope that his visit would elevate bilateral ties, Lee highlighted the priority of improving economic cooperation amidst potential collaborations in culture, foreign affairs, military, and people-to-people exchanges. He also expressed a desire to collaborate with China in its 2026-30 economic development plan to foster new growth drivers.

Lee remarked on the significance of his visit to Shanghai, a historical hub for the Korean independence movement during Japan's colonial rule. He plans to visit historical sites to mark significant anniversaries, including the centennial of Korea's provisional government and the 150th anniversary of independence hero Kim Koo's birth. Lee thanked Shanghai authorities for preserving these sites and emphasized their importance in teaching future generations about the struggle for national sovereignty.