China catches up or surpasses ROK in many fields: ROK president

China has caught up with or even surpassed the Republic of Korea (ROK) in many areas both in terms of technology and capital, said the ROK President Lee Jae Myung.

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Lee will pay a state visit to China from Jan 4 to 7. It will be Lee's first visit to China since he took office.

The president will be leading an economic and trade delegation of around 200 people on this visit to China, including representatives from many major companies.

In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) in Seoul on Wednesday, Lee acknowledged the close and mutually beneficial relationship between the ROK and China while emphasizing the need to reshape bilateral economic cooperation into a more balanced and horizontal partnership.

"The ROK and China have a very close economic and trade relationship and are highly conducive to each other's development in many ways. In the past, ROK-China economic cooperation was rather vertical in nature, with the ROK's advanced technology and capital being combined with China's labor force. Now, thanks to President Xi Jinping's outstanding leadership, China has achieved remarkable economic growth and development. China has caught up with or even surpassed the ROK in many areas both in terms of technology and capital," he said.

"Under these circumstances, it is now necessary to establish a new framework for bilateral economic cooperation that is horizontal and based on an equal footing. In advanced fields of technology, such as artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge industries, it is crucial to establish new forms of horizontal partnership. By doing so, we can create a collaborative economic relationship that is mutually beneficial," said Lee.

China catches up or surpasses ROK in many fields: ROK president

Venezuelan Labor Minister Eduardo Pinate on Saturday thanked several governments and social organizations for their support and called on people worldwide to show solidarity in defense of Venezuela.

The U.S. military launched a series of attacks against Venezuela early Saturday morning, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and flying him out of the country.

The military action has drawn widespread international condemnation, with multiple countries calling for a coordinated global response.

"Dignified governments around the world, including the presidents of Cuba, Iran, Turkey, Colombia, and social organizations from all over the world, have issued statements. We call on the people to unite and defend Venezuela. The people of Latin America and the Caribbean should understand that this is not merely an aggression against Venezuela, but an aggression against the people of all the countries on the continent by those who attempt to continue their hegemonic rule over the world, just as they did in the 1940s and 1950s. We are in a new century, and this is the century of the people, and we will defeat imperialism," said Pinate.

Venezuelan labor minister thanks allies, calls for international solidarity