박근혜 대통령은 30일 시진핑 중국 국가주석과 안보, 대북정책에서 협력 동반자 관계를 재확인하는 성과와 함께 나흘간의 중국 방문 일정을 마무리했다.

방중기간 동안 박 대통령은 ‘한반도신뢰구축프로세스’와 북아시아지역의 평화 협력에 대해 중국측의 지지를 이끌어내고, 한-중 FTA를 더욱 강화하는데 양국이 동의했다.

30일 박 대통령은 산시성의 성도 시안에 삼성전자가 건설 중인 반도체공장 현장을 방문해 우리 기업의 중국 서부대개발 참여와 중국 내수시장 진출 확대를 독려면서 한국이 중국의 경제 허브로 떠오르고 있는 산시성 지역에 더 집중하고 전략적으로 접근할 필요성이 있음을 강조했다.

29일 박 대통령은 자오정융 산시성 당서기를 만나 양국의 경제•문화적 교류에 대해 논의했다.

이 자리에서 박 대통령은 시안에 우리 광복군 주둔지가 있었으며, 동 주둔지는 우리 국민에게 큰 의미가 있는 만큼 표지석을 설치할 수 있도록 자오 당서기가 관심을 갖고 지원해 줄 것을 요청했다.

박 대통령은 28일 베이징에서 열린 중국 부총리 류옌둥 부총리와의 만남에서 6•25 전쟁 때 숨진 중국군 유해 360구를 유족들에게 송환하겠다는 입장을 밝혔고 류 부총리는 이 제안이 중국과의 우정을 나타내는 것이라며 반색했다.

역사적 기록에 따르면 6•25 전쟁 기간 동안 약 100만명 이상의 중국 군인이 사망했다.

류와의 만남에 이어 박 대통령은 시진핑 국가 주석의 모교인 칭화대학에서 한•중 신뢰의 여정과 두 국가가 나아갈 미래에 대해 연설했다.

박 대통령은 연설을 통해 한•중 양국이 뿌리 깊은 문화적인 인연을 바탕으로 수교 이후 지금까지 20여년간 비약적인 관계 발전을 이루었음을 평가했다.

박 대통령은 또한 한반도의 평화를 강조하면서 이는 북한과 국경을 마주하고 있는 중국의 번영에도 도움이 될 것이라고 말했다.

박 대통령은 “동북아시아는 북한의 문제에서 시작되는 지정학적 위험성이 사라진다면 풍부한 노동력과 기술력을 기반으로 세계의 성장동력 역할을 할 수 있다”면서 “이는 중국의 젊은이들에게 많은 성공의 기회를 제공할 것”이라고 말했다.





<관련 영문 기사>

Park returns from China with stronger partnership

Calls for expanding Korean presence in rising economic center of Xian

By Han Suk-hee and news reports

BEIJING -- President Park Geun-hye returned from her four-day state visit to China on Sunday, bringing home a stronger partnership forged with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with reaffirmed security and political cooperation on North Korea and the region.

Park also earned the support of China in two key initiatives -- the trust-building process for the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia’s peace cooperative mechanism for the region -- as well as for a stronger push to conclude the Korea-China free trade agreement.

Winning China’s advanced position against North Korea’s denuclearization, on the other hand, was considered to be a mediocre success as the two leaders compromised on reiterating their commitment to the “denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” instead of elucidating North Korea in the joint communiqué.

Park visited South Korean companies, including a Samsung Electronics plant, in the ancient city of Xian, the capital of Shaanxi province, and toured a UNESCO World Heritage-designated archaeological site on Sunday before ending her trip with a meeting with Koreans residing in the area.

Samsung is building a high-tech plant in Xian, which is the single biggest investment in China by a South Korean firm and will be the first NAND flash memory plant in China.

“Park stressed that South Korea should pay greater attention and take a strategic approach to China’s west as Shaanxi province is emerging as a hub of China’s economy,” a government statement said.

On the previous day, Park met with Zhao Zhengyong, the Communist Party chief of the province, and discussed ways to bolster economic and cultural exchanges between the two sides.

Park noted South Korean companies are expanding investment in the province which she said will help China’s push to develop its less-developed western regions.

Zhao said he asked for Seoul’s support for expanding investment in his province and promised to provide active support for any efforts to expand exchanges and cooperation in the economic, education and cultural sectors.

Noting that the Korean independence army had a presence in Xian when Korea was under Japan‘s 1910-45 colonial rule, Park asked Zhao for support for Seoul’s efforts to set up a commemorative stone monument in the city in honor of Korean independence fighters.

Xian was the second leg of Park’s four-day state visit that already took her to Beijing.

While in Beijing on Saturday, Park offered during a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong to return hundreds of sets of remains of Chinese troops killed in the 1950-53 Korean War, her spokeswoman said, in a symbolic gesture of friendship toward the former battlefield foe.

“This year marks the 60th anniversary of the (Korean War) armistice,” Park was quoted by the Kim Haing as saying. “There are 360 sets of remains of Chinese soldiers in South Korea. The South Korean government has taken good care of them, but the bereaved families in China must be waiting for their return, and we would like to repatriate the remains.”

Liu expressed gratitude, saying the offer well conveys Park’s friendship toward China.

During the Korean War, China fought alongside North Korea against the U.S.-backed Allied Forces. History records show that more than 1 million Chinese soldiers were killed in the three-year war.

Right after the meeting with Liu, Park delivered a friendship address at Tsinghua University, the alma mater of Xi, and called for the two neighbors to build relations of “trust” based on the big strides they have made in just 20 years of diplomatic ties. The first introductory part of the speech was delivered in Chinese.

“I believe that Korea-China relations should now move forward into a more mature and substantial partnership ... I intend to pursue dialogue and cooperation in a more forward-moving way based on the deep trust forged with President Xi through the summit,” she said.

Park also outlined her vision for peace with the North, saying, “I want to bring genuine peace to the Korean Peninsula.”

She also stressed that a peaceful Korean Peninsula would also be of help to the prosperity of Chinese provinces bordering with North Korea.

“A Northeast Asia without geopolitical risks stemming from the issue of North Korea would serve as a ‘growth engine’ for the world through the combination of a rich labor force and the world’s best capital and technologies” in the region, she said. “It will offer more opportunities of success for your lives as well.”

(why37@heraldcorp.com)