SANYA, Hainan - Chinese President Hu Jintao met Kim Hwang-sik, prime minister of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Thursday in China's southern resort city of Sanya.

Related readings: Hu Jintao meets ROK prime minister in Sanya  ROK, DPRK hold second round of volcano talks  China ends anti-dumping measures against steel sheets from Japan, ROK

Kim is on an official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. He will attend the opening ceremony of the annual meeting of the Boao Forum for Asia slated for Friday.

Hu said he hopes the two sides could intensify strategic communication and deepen mutual political trust.

Hu suggested China and ROK boost economic and trade cooperation to push for common development, expand mutual investment and promote cooperation in fields including advanced technology, finance, energy and environmental protection.

Expressing confidence that bilateral trade volume would surpass $300 billion in 2015, he said he hopes the two countries could speed up the establishment of a free trade area.

He also suggested the two nations host activities to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of China-ROK diplomatic ties and the Visit Korea Year, and intensify cooperation in sectors of education, culture and art.

The two countries forged diplomatic ties in 1992.

Efforts should also go to strengthening multilateral coordination to safeguard common interests of the two nations, Hu said.

Echoing Hu's remarks on bilateral relations, Kim said ROK will further develop its strategic partnership of cooperation with China and expand bilateral cooperation in cultural, scientific and technological sectors.

Kim also said the two sides should intensify communication and coordination on major issues under multilateral mechanisms like the UN and G20.

The two countries established strategic partnership of cooperation in 2008.