BEIJING — State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe on Oct 21 spoke over the phone with Suh Wook, defense minister of the Republic of Korea (ROK).

Wei noted that President Xi Jinping and ROK President Moon Jae-in have met and held phone talks on various occasions in recent years, leading all-around and rapid development of the China-ROK relations.

China is willing to work with the ROK to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, deepen exchanges and cooperation in defense and other fields, and jointly maintain regional peace and stability, said Wei.

Lauding the Chinese government and military's efforts and significant achievements in fighting the COVID-19 epidemic, Suh Wook said the ROK stands ready to promote bilateral defense relations and make joint efforts with China in safeguarding the stability in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.