(VOVworld)-South Korean and Chinese state-run think tanks held strategic talks in Seoul on Friday amid regional tensions most lately flared by China’s decision to expand its air defense zone. A total of 16 institutes, eight from each country, attended the inaugural meeting and discussed ways to substantiate South Korea and China’s strategic partnership.

South Korea, China hold first Strategic Dialogue

The Korea National Diplomatic Academy and the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses were among them. The meeting comes after South Korean and Chinese leaders agreed during a summit in June to annually hold strategic dialogue sessions among their state-run research institutes. A government official in Seoul said the meeting will serve as a dialogue channel among state-run think tanks whose jobs directly relate to each country's policy making.