The upcoming first meeting between the new presidents of China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) will play an important role in bilateral ties, economic and trade cooperation and the settlement of regional and international issues, according to Chinese experts.

ROK President Roh Moo-hyun is to pay a four-day visit to China next week. "The ROK President is coming to meet the new Chinese leadership to promote understanding and further cooperation between the two countries," Piao Jianyi, an expert on Sino-ROK relations from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Saturday.

Roh Moo-hyun has visited the United States and Japan since he became president, and he will also visit Russia after finishing his China tour.

Piao said that Roh could finalize his foreign policy after having visited the four countries, so as to help realize his " peace and prosperity" policy.

Roh will have a tight schedule during his China tour. Chinese President Hu Jintao is expected to hold talks with him on the day of his arrival and some other Chinese leaders, including Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao and Zeng Qinghong, will also meet him during his stay in Beijing.

Piao said that Hu and Roh are expected to exchange views on bilateral ties as well as regional and international issues of common concern.

"The nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is one of the current focal points of the international community. The two presidents are expected to exchange views on the issue," he said.

The two leaders discussed the issue by phone two months ago, when Hu expressed that China advocates a peaceful settlement to the issue through dialogue and China stands for a nuclear-free Korean peninsula. Roh agreed with Hu.

Promoting economic and trade relations between China and the ROK would be another focal point of Roh's visit, Piao said.

Sino-ROK economic and trade cooperation has developed rapidly over the past decade, especially in the field of investment. Some major ROK companies started to invest heavily in China last year.

Accompanying Roh will be some officials in charge of economic departments and notable businessmen from over 30 major companies.

"Roh may sign some documents with China to promote economic and trade cooperation," Piao said.

He also said that the two sides could exchange views on how to settle unfavorable competition and other problems in economic cooperation.

Cultural and educational cooperation would be also on the agenda, Piao noted, adding that China and the ROK have all along maintained sound cooperation of mutual benefit in the field of culture, education and tourism.

"The first meeting between the new Chinese and ROK presidents is expected to lay a solid political ground for the long-term bilateral ties between the two countries," he said.

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