South Korean special envoy meets China's top diplomat ahead of crucial Washington-Seoul summit

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Park Byeong-seug, South Korean president's special envoy, in Beijing ahead of a crucial summit between Seoul and Washington on Monday, Chinese state media reported.

Lee is set to hold his maiden summit with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday.

According to the Xinhua news agency, Wang said that China maintains "stability" and "continuity" in its policy towards South Korea, urging both sides to "adhere to the original intention of establishing diplomatic relations, firmly uphold the direction of friendship, expand common interests, foster greater goodwill, properly handle sensitive issues, and promote the steady and long-term development of bilateral relations in the right track."

Wang called on both sides to safeguard the international free trade system together, jointly oppose trade protectionism, and "effectively" respond to regional and even global challenges.

Park, for his part, said the Lee administration attaches "great importance" to developing relations with China and is willing to work together to enhance high-level exchanges, and bring the strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries back on track.

He added that Seoul always respected the one-China principle and is willing to develop relations with China and other major countries in parallel to jointly maintain regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.