By Choonsik Yoo
SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea's finance minister on Friday met the Chinese&nbsp;ambassador&nbsp;and discussed&nbsp;economic&nbsp;cooperation, as diplomatic tensions with Beijing put an additional dent on the already sluggish economy.
The ministry said in a short message after the 30-minute meeting that Minister Choo Kyung-ho expressed his&nbsp;hopes&nbsp;for&nbsp;continued&nbsp;economic&nbsp;cooperation&nbsp;between the two countries on the basis of reciprocity and mutual respect.
Choo, South Korea's highest&nbsp;economic&nbsp;and financial policymaker, also asked for support for preparations ahead of a bilateral&nbsp;economic&nbsp;ministers' meeting this year in Seoul, the statement added.
The ministry did not disclose remarks by&nbsp;Ambassador&nbsp;Xing Haiming during the meeting, which was held after South Korea's&nbsp;ambassador&nbsp;to Washington said early this month Seoul would soon pursue senior-level engagements with Beijing.
The heightened diplomatic tensions, mainly over regional geopolitical issues including affairs surrounding&nbsp;China's policy toward Taiwan, may hurt a South Korean economy already hit by a slump in exports.
Share prices of South Korean companies with exposure to&nbsp;China&nbsp;business rose on Friday, with media content producer CJ ENM jumping 2.5% and online game developer Netmarble rising 1.5%.
(Reporting by Choonsik Yoo; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Gerry Doyle)

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S.Korea tells China ambassador it hopes for continued economic cooperation