Mount Tai, Halla Mountain forge relationship

A friendly exchange agreement for China's Mount Tai and South Korea's Halla Mountain was signed on March 31 in Tai'an, Shandong province.

Oh Young-hun, governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, said that Jeju and Tai'an have a long history of friendly exchanges and that relations between Mount Tai and Halla Mountain are growing increasingly close.

Oh hopes that both sides will continue their friendship, deepen cooperation, strengthen exchanges in various areas, and jointly promote the prosperity and development of both places.

Yang Hongtao, Party secretary of Tai'an, said that Tai'an and Jeju have a deep bond due to their respective mountains. Mount Tai is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has been honored as a "World Geopark". It embodies Chinese history and culture and is a symbol of the Chinese national spirit.

The two mountains first signed a friendship and exchange cooperation agreement as early as 2009 and have strengthened their relationship over the years, Yang said.

The agreement between Mount Tai and Halla Mountain will deepen Tai'an city's cooperation with South Korea in various areas and strengthen ties between Tai'an and Jeju, Yang added.