Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will visit China for the first time since taking office on Wednesday to hold a South Korea-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with Wang Yi, the Chinese Foreign Minister and Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office of the Communist Party.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Cho is expected to discuss a range of topics with Minister Wang. These include the possibility of Chinese President Xi Jinping visiting South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, as well as measures to further enhance the comprehensive relationship between the two countries.
Although the Chinese government has not officially confirmed President Xi’s visit to South Korea, diplomatic circles expect a high likelihood of such a visit, as Xi seeks to extend China’s influence on the Korean Peninsula.
In the context of the U.S.-China power struggle, experts anticipate that China will exert pressure on strategic issues.
An editorial in the Chinese state-run Global Times the previous day suggested the need to oppose protectionism at APEC. While it did not directly mention the U.S., the editorial criticized the Trump administration’s unilateral tariffs and trade measures, indicating that China might conduct diplomacy at APEC to counter the U.S.
Additionally, China is expected to inquire about the ongoing discussions regarding the modernization of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, particularly seeking South Korea’s stance on the issue. There is a strong possibility that China will express concern over the expanding role of U.S. forces in the region, ranging from the Korean Peninsula to the broader Indo-Pacific area.
The North Korean issue is also likely to be a major agenda item. The South Korean government plans to solicit China’s perspective on discussions that took place during the recent meeting between President Xi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at China’s 80th-anniversary victory parade.
Specifically, they intend to reaffirm China’s stance on North Korea and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, while emphasizing China’s constructive role in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.
Furthermore, discussions are expected on enhancing people-to-people and cultural exchanges between South Korea and China, especially following the recent announcement allowing visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists. In this context, Minister Cho is expected to stress to the Chinese side the need to lift the so-called Korea limitation order, a regulation often referred to as the Korean Wave ban.