Latest news with #ChinaSouthKoreaRelations
South China Morning Post
8 hours ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Xi Jinping urges South Korea's new president to set relations with China on ‘right course'
Lee, widely perceived as a China dove, took office on June 4 after winning a snap election triggered by his predecessor Yoon Suk-yeol's failed attempt to impose martial law. Xi added: 'A healthy, stable, and continuously deepening China-South Korea relationship aligns with the trends of the times, serves the fundamental interests of both peoples, and contributes to regional and global peace, stability, and prosperity.' 'Respecting each other's core interests and major concerns will help maintain the right course of bilateral relations and ensure steady progress,' he said, according to a statement issued by Beijing. In Tuesday's call, the first since Lee took office last week, Xi called for a 'good-neighbourly friendship' and more diplomatic, economic and cultural exchanges. Beijing is trying to get closer to Seoul amid its escalating rivalry with the United States and Xi described the two countries as 'close neighbours that cannot be separated', adding that the two sides should respect each other's core interests and major concerns. China's President Xi Jinping has told South Korea's new leader Lee Jae-myung to put relations back on 'the right course' and work with Beijing to uphold multilateralism and free trade. During his campaign, Lee called for 'pragmatic diplomacy' and sharply criticised Yoon for 'unnecessarily antagonising' China, South Korea's top trading partner, through his military alignment with the US and Japan and confrontational stance towards Beijing. In his inauguration speech, Lee promised to approach relations with neighbouring countries from a 'perspective of national interest and pragmatism,' after promising during the campaign to improve ties with China while maintaining a balance between the two superpowers. Xi sent Lee a congratulatory message immediately after his election win, expressing a desire to strengthen ties, while acknowledging Seoul as a major regional and global player. 03:17 South Korea's new president Lee Jae-myung vows to fix economy, hold talks with North Korea South Korea's new president Lee Jae-myung vows to fix economy, hold talks with North Korea During the call, he congratulated Lee again and praised the 'mutual success and common development' achieved by the two nations since establishing formal diplomatic ties in 1992, highlighting their ability to transcend 'ideological and social system differences'. '[China and South Korea] should advance their strategic cooperative partnership to higher levels, bringing more benefits to their peoples and injecting greater certainty into the complex regional and international landscape,' Xi said. He called on Lee's new administration to strengthen exchanges 'at all levels', enhance strategic trust and multilateral coordination while 'jointly upholding multilateralism and free trade, and ensuring the stability and smooth operation of global and regional industrial and supply chains'. Xi also urged Seoul to 'expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges to foster mutual understanding'. South Korean views of China have taken an increasingly unfavourable turn in recent years. Polling data suggests this trend is strongest among those in their 20s and 30s and it has been accompanied by a continuous drop in the number of students studying in China. Beijing has been trying to improve matters by adding South Korea to the list of countries whose citizens can visit China for travel or business without a visa for 30 days. In response, Lee was quoted by the Chinese media as praising China's development achievements and Xi's leadership. 'I highly value Korea-China relations and am willing to work with the Chinese side to promote the deep development of bilateral good-neighbourly and friendly relations, improve and enhance the feelings between the people of both countries, and achieve more results in Korea-China cooperation,' Lee said, according to China's state news agency Xinhua. Unlike Yoon, who angered Beijing with an increasingly vocal stance on issues such as the South China Sea and Taiwan, Lee raised eyebrows for saying on the campaign that any cross-strait conflict would not be South Korea's concern. Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory that must be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary. Most countries, including South Korea and the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state. According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, Lee urged China, North Korea's top diplomatic backer and economic lifeline, to play 'a constructive role' in the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. 09:19 From president to political pariah: the rise and fall of South Korea's Yoon Suk-yeol From president to political pariah: the rise and fall of South Korea's Yoon Suk-yeol 'Lee expressed the hope that South Korea and China will actively promote exchanges and cooperation in various areas, including the economy, security, culture and people-to-people exchanges, based on the spirit of mutual benefit and equality,' said South Korea's presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung. In response, Xi said China would try to resolve the issue and said peace and stability on the peninsula was in both South Korea and China's interest, Kang told Yonhap. Lee has already spoken to US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and next week he will attend the Group of Seven summit in Canada, which will be an early test of how he plans to navigate between Washington and Beijing amid growing pressure. According to a poll commissioned by The Korea Times last week, 49 per cent of those questioned said strengthening the alliance with Washington should be the new president's top foreign policy priority. Boosting multilateral diplomacy through the G7 and Nato ranked second at 20 per cent, followed by improving ties with China at 18 per cent and resolving historical disputes with Japan at 10 per cent. Advertisement
Al Arabiya
12 hours ago
- Business
- Al Arabiya
China, South Korea must safeguard free trade, Xi tells Lee
Chinese leader Xi Jinping urged South Korea's new president, Lee Jae-myung, on Tuesday to work with Beijing to uphold free trade and defend 'multilateralism,' state media said. In a phone call with Lee, Xi urged Beijing and Seoul to 'inject more certainty into regional and international situations,' Xinhua said, as well as to 'promote strategic cooperative partnership to higher level.' 'A healthy, stable, and continuously deepening China–South Korea relationship aligns with the trend of the times,' Xi said. 'Close bilateral cooperation and multilateral coordination should be maintained to jointly uphold multilateralism and free trade, ensuring the stability and smooth functioning of global and regional industrial and supply chains,' the Chinese leader added. South Korea's new center-left leader was elected in a landslide last week after winning a snap election triggered by his predecessor's disastrous martial law declaration. Seoul has long trod a fine line between top trading partner China and defense guarantor the United States. Relations suffered under Lee's predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, who cleaved close to the United States and sought to improve ties with former colonial master Japan. But both countries' export-driven economies have now found themselves in the crosshairs of US President Donald Trump's tariff blitz. And Lee hinted on the campaign trail that he would seek to improve ties with Beijing. He has also raised alarm by saying that a future conflict between China and Taiwan would not be South Korea's concern.
Free Malaysia Today
12 hours ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
China, South Korea must safeguard free trade, Xi tells Lee
Seoul has long trod a fine line between top trading partner China and defence guarantor the US. (Links pic) BEIJING : Chinese leader Xi Jinping urged South Korea's new President Lee Jae-myung today to work with Beijing to uphold free trade and defend 'multilateralism', state media said. 'In a phone call with Lee, Xi urged Beijing and Seoul to 'inject more certainty into regional and international situations',' Xinhua said, as well as to 'promote strategic cooperative partnership to a higher level'. 'A healthy, stable, and continuously deepening China–South Korea relationship aligns with the trend of the times,' Xi said. 'Close bilateral cooperation and multilateral coordination should be maintained to jointly uphold multilateralism and free trade, ensuring the stability and smooth functioning of global and regional industrial and supply chains,' the Chinese leader added. South Korea's new centre-left leader was elected in a landslide last week after winning a snap election triggered by his predecessor's disastrous martial law declaration. Seoul has long trod a fine line between top trading partner China and defence guarantor the US. Relations suffered under Lee's predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, who cleaved close to the US and sought to improve ties with former colonial master Japan. However, both countries' export-driven economies have now found themselves in the crosshairs of US President Donald Trump's tariff blitz. Lee hinted on the campaign trail that he would seek to improve ties with Beijing. He has also raised alarm by saying that a future conflict between China and Taiwan would not be South Korea's concern.
Japan Times
13 hours ago
- Business
- Japan Times
China's Xi urges South Korea's Lee to protect free trade in first talks
New South Korean President Lee Jae-myung held his first talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the official Xinhua News Agency said Tuesday, as Lee looks to balance ties between Beijing and Seoul's ally, Washington. Xi told Lee that China and South Korea should work to take their strategic cooperative partnership 'to a higher level' amid rising concerns over the future of global free trade, Xinhua said Xi had told Lee during talks over the telephone. 'China and South Korea should inject more certainty into (the) regional and international landscape,' Xi was quoted as saying, adding that the two countries 'should jointly safeguard multilateralism and free trade, and ensure stable and smooth global and regional industrial and supply chains.' Xi's remarks were widely seen as a jab at U.S. President Donald Trump, who has targeted multilateral groupings with fiery criticism while also unleashing unilateral tariffs on countries across the globe, including allies like South Korea and rivals such as China. Chinese leader Xi Jinping waves to spectators as he leaves after a military parade on Victory Day, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, in Red Square in central Moscow on May 9. | REUTERS Lee took office on June 4 with a vow to end the 'politics of division' and carry out a 'pragmatic' approach to foreign policy after riding a wave of anxiety about the economy and political instability to victory in an election a day earlier. In a speech following his swearing in, Lee called for dialogue with archenemy North Korea, while stressing South Korea's commitment to its security alliance with the U.S. and growing ties with Japan. But any mention of China — South Korea's largest trading partner — was conspicuously absent. Lee's election came exactly six months after his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, briefly declared martial law — a move that ultimately saw him removed from office. During his time in office, Yoon openly antagonized Beijing and worked to align South Korea with Washington in the growing Sino-U.S. rivalry. In the run-up to his election, Lee pledged to mend relations with China to help spur economic growth. The Xi-Lee call came a day after the South Korean leader and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed during a telephone call to strengthen bilateral ties amid concerns that relations between Seoul and Tokyo could falter under Lee, who has a history of hard-line remarks aimed at Japan. Lee's first leader-to-leader call was with Trump last week, with the two agreeing to work toward a swift tariff deal. In addition to the tariffs, Trump has also pressed South Korea to pay more for the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed there.
Reuters
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Reuters
China's Xi urges respect, 'right track' in call with South Korean counterpart
BEIJING, June 10 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping told South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on Tuesday that the two countries should respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and ensure ties move forward "on the right track", Chinese state media reported. In their first phone call since Lee took office last week, Xi said healthy, stable and continuously deepening China-South Korea relations were conducive to regional and world peace and stability, according to state broadcaster CCTV. China is South Korea's biggest trading partner and diplomatic relations between the two have improved since a 2017 spat over South Korea's installation of a U.S. missile defence system that Beijing opposed. Xi urged the two countries to strengthen exchanges, adhere to the direction of "friendly neighbours" and jointly safeguard global and regional industrial, supply chains. A strategic cooperative partnership between both countries would bring more benefits to both and "inject more certainty into the chaotic regional and international situation." "It is necessary to respect each other's core interests and major concerns, firmly grasp the general direction of bilateral relations, and ensure that relations always move forward on the right track," Xi was quoted as saying by CCTV. Lee's decisive victory in last week's snap election stands to usher in a sea-change in Asia's fourth-largest economy. He faces what could be the most daunting set of challenges for a South Korean leader in nearly three decades, ranging from healing a country deeply scarred by his predecessor's martial law attempt to tackling unpredictable protectionist moves by the United States, a major trading partner and a security ally.
