Xi Jinping congratulates Yoon Suk-yeol on election as South Korea's new president

South Korea's Yoon Suk-yeol has received a congratulatory message from Chinese President Xi Jinping following his election victory.

In a statement released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Xi said he hoped to work with Yoon to "promote the healthy and stable development of China-South Korea relations".

Xi also said he was willing to work with Yoon to "jointly safeguard regional peace and stability".

Yoon, a conservative former prosecutor, was elected president of South Korea on March 9, 2022. He defeated the liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung by a narrow margin.

Yoon has pledged to take a tougher stance on North Korea and to strengthen South Korea's alliance with the United States.

China is South Korea's largest trading partner, and the two countries have close economic ties.

However, relations between the two countries have been strained in recent years due to disagreements over North Korea and other issues.

Xi's congratulatory message is a sign that China is willing to work with Yoon to improve relations between the two countries.

It is also a sign that China is interested in playing a role in the Korean Peninsula peace process.