Beijing: The top diplomats of South Korea and China held talks in Beijing on Wednesday, focusing on Chinese President Xi Jinping's potential visit to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and issues related to North Korea.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, marking the first high-level diplomatic talks between the two nations since President Lee Jae Myung's government took office in early June. Cho arrived in Beijing earlier in the day, with the discussions set to continue over a working dinner.
Cho's two-day trip aims to balance South Korea's relations with China amidst the escalating U.S.-China rivalry, while maintaining strong alliances with the United States and the trilateral partnership with Washington and Tokyo. "We hope for a mature development of our relations with China," Cho stated at the beginning of the talks, expressing hope that the APEC summit would further bilateral ties.
Before departing for Beijing, Cho indicated that President Xi is expected to visit South Korea next month for the APEC summit, a topic he plans to discuss with his Chinese counterpart. Following his recent meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, President Lee acknowledged that Washington's strategy to counter China limits South Korea's ability to maintain previous economic ties with Beijing, prompting Seoul to align more closely with U.S. policies.
Beijing has responded by emphasizing that bilateral relations should not be swayed by a third country. The Lee administration aims to improve inter-Korean relations, which deteriorated under the previous government, and resume dialogue with Pyongyang despite North Korea's continued rejection of Seoul's efforts and its close alignment with Russia.
The Lee government, in its newly finalized foreign policy, seeks to advance relations with China in areas like supply chain stability, while securing Beijing's support for North Korea's denuclearization and improved inter-Korean ties. Seoul believes that if Xi's visit for the APEC summit, scheduled for October 31 to November 1 in southern South Korea, is realized, it could affirm stable bilateral relations and provide a platform for discussing mutual interests, including North Korea.
Though Beijing has yet to confirm, Xi is widely expected to attend the APEC summit, with China being the host for next year's event. Cho and Wang are also likely to exchange views on North Korea following Kim Jong-un's rare appearance at China's Victory Day celebrations earlier this month alongside Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Cho intends to discuss North Korea-related issues and seek Beijing's support for Seoul's efforts to restore inter-Korean ties, a key aspect of the Lee government's policy. Additionally, Cho may use the talks to clarify China's stance on North Korea's denuclearization, a topic not addressed by Beijing following Xi's meeting with Kim during the World War II anniversary event.
Outstanding bilateral issues, such as China's steel structures in the Yellow Sea's overlapping area, which have heightened tensions, are also expected to be discussed.