Haofeng, Party Secretary of Liaoning Province, Visits Korea... Prominent Chinese Figure
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol is delivering the opening address at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Overseas Diplomatic Mission Chiefs Meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 22nd. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol will have lunch with Hao Feng, Party Secretary of Liaoning Province, China, on the 24th to discuss practical cooperation measures.
Liaoning Province, being a border region adjacent to North Korea and home to many Korean companies, is expected to have economic cooperation and the issue of repatriation of North Korean defectors on the agenda.
Im Soo-seok, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing on the 23rd, "Minister Cho will have lunch with Party Secretary Hao, who is visiting Korea on the 24th," adding, "Minister Cho and Party Secretary Hao plan to discuss ways to enhance practical cooperation between Korea and Liaoning Province."
He continued, "This visit by Party Secretary Hao is the first by a Chinese provincial party secretary since COVID-19," and explained, "It will greatly contribute to expanding exchanges and cooperation between Korea and Liaoning Province and revitalizing local exchanges between the two countries."
Liaoning Province is one of the three northeastern provinces of China (Jilin Province, Liaoning Province, Heilongjiang Province) and is considered an economic hub. About 500 Korean companies have entered the region. Party Secretary Hao is also known to meet with key personnel from major Korean companies during this visit.
Since Liaoning Province borders North Korea, the issue of repatriation of North Korean defectors may also be discussed. Earlier, China repatriated hundreds of North Korean defectors detained in Liaoning Province and Jilin Province to North Korea in October last year.
Party Secretary Hao is a senior official and influential figure with 42 years of diverse practical and administrative experience in Chinese state-owned enterprises, local governments, and the central government.
Korea and China are reported to plan to continue promoting high-level personnel exchanges following Party Secretary Hao's visit.
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