SEOUL, South Korea -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao expressed hope Tuesday for stronger ties with South Korea at the start of a visit aimed at consolidating ties and presenting a united front against North Korea's nuclear weapons ambitions.

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-Soo (R) greets Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Seoul April 10, 2007. [Reuters]

Wen's two-day trip to South Korea is the first by a Chinese premier in seven years. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1992, and China is now South Korea's biggest export market.

"Since establishing bilateral ties 15 years earlier, the two countries have been expanding exchanges in the political, economic and cultural fields at an unprecedented pace," Wen told South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.

"I hope bilateral ties will continuously develop," he said through a translator.

Han responded: "Throughout the whole world, there is no other example but (South Korea) and China whose bilateral ties have become so close in the short time span of 15 years."

Wen was to meet South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun later Tuesday, and the two were expected to "have a wide exchange of opinions on issues of bilateral concern, including development of Korea-China relations and a peaceful resolution of the North Korea nuclear issue," Roh's office said.

Local media have reported that the two leaders were also likely to discuss launching negotiations on a free trade agreement between China and South Korea. Last week, South Korea and the US reached agreement on a free trade agreement which still must be approved by both countries' legislatures.

Just after arriving, Wen visited a research center for SK Telecom, South Korea's largest mobile phone operator, which is cooperating with China on developing China's own standard for next-generation mobile phone services.

Testing a videophone link between Seoul and Beijing, Wen said China and SK Telecom can jointly contribute to developing telecommunication technologies.

Traveling with Wen is Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, also the chief Chinese envoy to international talks on North Korea's nuclear program.

Wen's visit comes amid concerns that North Korea will fail to meet a Saturday deadline to shut down its main nuclear reactor in exchange for energy aid. The North has insisted that a separate financial dispute be resolved first.

China has hosted disarmament talks _ also involving the two Koreas, Japan, Russia and the United States _ since 2003 aimed at convincing the North to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

After South Korea, Wen is to travel to Japan, where he will seek to mend ties strained by a series of territorial and historical disputes.