China is ready to work with the Republic of Korea (ROK) to deepen bilateral cooperation, the Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman said in Beijing on Monday as Park Geun-hye was sworn in as the ROK's first female president.

China congratulates Park on taking office, Hua Chunying said at the ministry's daily press briefing.

The spokeswoman said that continuing stable and healthy development of China-ROK relations is not only conducive to the interests of the two countries and peoples but also conducive to regional peace, stability and development.

China attaches great importance to its relations with the ROK, she said, noting that the relationship is currently developing well.

Under the new situation, China is willing to make further joint efforts with the ROK to constantly deepen bilateral friendly exchanges and pragmatic cooperation in various fields so as to enrich the bilateral strategic cooperative partnership, according to Hua.

Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong, a special envoy of President Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Monday attended Park's inauguration ceremony in Seoul.

(Xinhua News Agency February 25, 2013)