It was Lee's first conversation with Xi and his third with a foreign leader since taking office, after he talked with U.S. President Donald Trump last week and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba the previous day.
In their phone conversation which lasted about 30 minutes, Xi congratulated Lee on his election earlier this month while expressing his hopes for "improved relations between the two countries."
"Lee and Xi discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation," presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said.
According to Kang, Lee asked Xi for Beijing to play a "constructive role" in North Korea's denuclearization to ensure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, while Xi urged Seoul to cooperate in upholding free trade to ensure the stability of global supply chains, in an apparent effort to counter U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff policies.
Lee also invited Xi to attend the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled for November in the historic southern city of Gyeongju. The two leaders agreed to work together to ensure the summit's success and to promote exchanges between the two countries.
If Xi attends the summit, it will be his first visit to South Korea in about 11 years.
reporter
Im Yoon-seo
lyseo0330@ajupress.com
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