China on Thursday congratulated Yoon Suk-yeol on his election as the new South Korean president.

Yoon of the main conservative opposition People Power Party garnered 48.56-percent support in the presidential election held on Wednesday, defeating his liberal rival by a narrow margin, the National Election Commission of South Korea announced on Thursday.

Speaking at a daily press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian hailed China and South Korea as crucial partners who cannot be separated from each other.

Noting that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two neighbors, Zhao said China and South Korea have seen their relations develop rapidly over the decades.