Seoul: Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has revealed that Chinese President Xi Jinping is anticipated to visit South Korea next month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Cho plans to discuss the visit in detail during his upcoming meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho made these statements before departing for Beijing. This meeting marks the first high-level diplomatic talks between South Korea and China since the Lee Jae Myung government took office in early June. The discussions between Cho and Wang are set to be followed by a working dinner.
Cho's visit comes as South Korea navigates its diplomatic relations amid the ongoing U.S.-China rivalry, while also maintaining its alliance with the United States and its trilateral cooperation with Washington and Tokyo. The recent summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump highlighted the challenges Seoul faces in balancing its economic ties with Beijing against the backdrop of Washington's strategic interests.
Beijing has emphasized that its bilateral relations with South Korea should remain uninfluenced by third-party countries. Meanwhile, the Lee government aims to restore inter-Korean relations, which have suffered under previous administrations, and resume dialogue with North Korea despite recent challenges.
Cho expressed his intentions to discuss enhancing cooperative relations and reducing tensions in Northeast Asia with his Chinese counterpart. The Lee government's finalized foreign policy outlines advancing ties with China in various sectors, including supply chain stability, while seeking Beijing's support for North Korea's denuclearization and improved inter-Korean relations.
Seoul views the potential visit by Xi for the APEC summit, scheduled in southern South Korea at the end of October, as an opportunity to reinforce stable bilateral relations and address mutual interests, such as North Korea. While Beijing has not officially confirmed Xi's attendance, he is expected to participate in the summit.
Furthermore, Cho and Wang are likely to share insights on North Korea, particularly after leader Kim Jong-un's recent visit to China's Victory Day celebrations, where he appeared alongside Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Cho intends to gather China's perspective on Kim's visit and discuss relevant North Korean issues during his talks in Beijing.
The discussions will also address other pressing bilateral matters, such as tensions over China's steel structures in the Yellow Sea, which have complicated relations between the two nations.