Seoul: South Korea and China have engaged in discussions regarding cooperation for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and other bilateral issues, including concerns over Beijing's construction of steel structures in the Yellow Sea's overlapping maritime zone, as reported by Seoul officials on Wednesday. The dialogue, which took place on Tuesday, was led by Kang Young-shin, the director general for Northeast and Central Asian affairs at the South Korean foreign ministry, and Liu Jinsong, director general for Asian affairs at China's foreign ministry.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the discussions focused on fostering communication at various levels and enhancing bilateral relations in preparation for the APEC summit. China is scheduled to host next year's APEC gathering. The dialogue also touched upon the possibility of a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to South Korea for the APEC event, slated to occur in Gyeongju between late October and early November.
The talks explored "concrete ways to expand cooperation in economic initiatives that can bring tangible benefits" to both nations, as stated in a foreign ministry press release. Additionally, the two sides addressed mutual interests concerning the Yellow Sea and the Korean Peninsula.
A significant point of discussion was the ongoing dispute over Beijing's construction of steel towers in the Provisional Maritime Zone (PMZ), an area of overlapping jurisdiction between South Korea and China. Seoul has expressed concern over these unilateral actions by Beijing, which contravene a bilateral agreement aimed at ensuring maritime stability in the PMZ.
Kang and Liu also likely addressed the increasing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea during their discussions. On Wednesday, Liu also held a courtesy meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Byung-won, where they discussed efforts to advance the strategic partnership between Seoul and Beijing.