China Xi Pledges to Address Differences with South Korea: Xinhua

TEMPO.CO, Beijing - China's President Xi Jinping pledged to make concerted efforts with South Korea's President Moon Jae-in to address differences between the two countries properly, the official Xinhua news agency said on Thursday.

"Xi made the remarks in a congratulatory message sent to Moon on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-South Korea diplomatic relations," Xinhua said.

Development of China-South Korea relations makes a positive contribution to regional peace and development, Xinhua cited Xi as saying. The news agency did not provide further details.

South Korea and the United States agreed to deploy the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system in response to the growing missile threat from North Korea.

However, the move has angered China, which says the system's powerful radar will look deep into its territory and undermine regional security.

China has pressured South Korean businesses through boycotts and bans, such as ending Chinese group tours to South Korea and closing most of South Korean conglomerate Lotte Group's Lotte Mart retail stores in China.

Moon has also pushed China, North Korea's most important ally and trading partner, to do more to rein in Pyongyang's missile and nuclear weapons programmes.

North Korea has conducted two nuclear tests and dozens of missile tests since the beginning of last year, significantly raising tension on the heavily militarised Korean peninsula and in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions. Two intercontinental ballistic missile tests in July resulted in a new round of tougher global sanctions.

REUTERS