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Xi applauds Moon's election win

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BEIJING Chinese President Xi Jinping yesterday congratulated South Korea's Moon Jae In on his presidential election victory, vowing to work with him in the wake of regional tensions.

"I always attach great importance to South Korea and China-ROK (Republic of Korea) relations," Mr Xi told Mr Moon, according to China's official Xinhua news agency.

"China is willing to work with South Korea to maintain the hard-earned outcome of China-ROK relations."

Mr Moon, a left-leaning former human rights lawyer, was elected on Tuesday after a corruption scandal felled his predecessor, against the backdrop of high tensions with nuclear-armed North Korea.

He advocates dialogue and reconciliation with the North to defuse the situation and eventually lure it to negotiations.

He has also shown ambivalence over the US missile defence system THAAD, which has been deployed in the South to the fury of China.

Beijing sees it as a threat to the regional security balance.

- AFP

South KoreaChinapolitics