By UN Journal  Lee Kap-soo

Gyeongbuk Governor Lee Cheol-woo met with Chinese Ambassador to Korea Xing Haiming on May 7 at the Gyeongbuk Provincial Office to discuss ways to cooperate on mutual growth.

This is the first visit by Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming to Gyeongbuk since his appointment in January 2020.

Governor Lee and Ambassador Xing highlighted the 30 years of bilateral cooperation between China and Gyeongbuk, and agreed to expand new areas of shared growth beyond the economic sphere, such as cultural tourism.

“In the 30 years of diplomatic relations between China and Gyeongbuk, the two countries have shared economic growth,” said Governor Lee. “Let's actively promote local diplomacy and create new growth engines for win-win growth, including cultural tourism.”

“The entire Gyeongsangbuk-do region is a treasure trove of cultural tourism where traditions are alive,” he said, emphasizing that “we should strengthen exchange and cooperation each other in new areas such as cultural tourism.”

In response, Ambassador Xing Haiming emphasized cooperation between the two geographically neighboring provinces, saying, “There is a saying in China that is often talked about, ‘If you have virtue, you are never lonely and always have a neighbor,’ and I hope that we can solve various problems through cooperation.” 

Gyeongsangbuk-do has exchange partnerships with six Chinese provinces: Henan, Hunan, Shaanxi, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jilin, and Liaoning.

With Hunan, the province has been conducting one-on-one exchanges of officials and has a trade office in Shanghai.

Lee traveled to China last year as chairman of the Provincial Governors' Council and met with Yang Wanming, president of the China People's Association for Public Diplomacy and Friendship, and secured an agreement to resume the Korea-China Governors' Growth Conference, which was suspended for six years after 2018.