On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held bilateral talks with Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister and Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, urging China to help bring North Korea back to the negotiating table.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the South Korea–China Foreign Ministers’ meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Minister Cho stated that their government is pursuing substantial progress towards denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and cooperation.
Wang responded that China will continue to play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and suggested ongoing communication.
The Ministry did not disclose whether Wang specifically mentioned denuclearization.
Earlier this month, China omitted any reference to denuclearization when announcing the results of the North Korea–China summit held during China’s 80th Victory Day celebrations. This led to speculation that China might have tacitly accepted North Korea as a de facto nuclear state.
The two sides spent 180 minutes together, including a dinner following their bilateral meeting, discussing North Korea and other mutual interests in South Korea–China relations.
Minister Cho proposed working together to ensure that the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju at the end of October would yield tangible benefits for the citizens of both countries through improved South Korea–China relations.
Wang noted that as China and South Korea will host APEC in consecutive years, advancing the bilateral relationship holds significant importance for China as well.
Prior to the talks, Minister Cho invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit South Korea for the APEC summit, expressing hope for substantial progress in relations between South Korea’s new administration and the Chinese government.
Minister Cho explained the government’s stance is to strengthen the South Korea–U.S. alliance while also fostering the mature development of the South Korea–China Strategic Cooperative Partnership based on national interests and pragmatism. He added to continue the efforts to reinforce the public foundation for improving South Korea–China relations by enhancing mutual understanding and goodwill between the peoples.
Wang assured that China would maintain the stability and continuity of its friendly policies towards South Korea and called for ongoing cooperation to elevate the South Korea–China Strategic Cooperative Partnership to new heights.
The two sides also exchanged views on economic cooperation between South Korea and China.
Minister Cho emphasized that as the economic cooperation structure between our countries evolves from a vertical division of labor to horizontal collaboration, the economic partnership model must adapt to these changing times. He stressed the importance of continued communication and cooperation at all levels to ensure that mutual efforts consistently benefit the citizens of both nations.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that both ministers agreed to utilize the South Korea–China–Japan cooperation mechanism to maintain regional collaboration.
Minister Cho stated that it must respect the mutual interests, including issues in the Yellow Sea, and requested China’s special cooperation in safeguarding the safety and rights of South Korean citizens in China.
Additionally, Minister Cho invited Wang to visit South Korea before the APEC summit in Gyeongju, to which Wang responded that he looks forward to meeting Minister Cho in South Korea soon.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also reported that during the meeting, Wang expressed deep condolences on behalf of the Chinese government for the noble sacrifice of the late Sergeant Lee Jae-seok, who died while rescuing Chinese citizens.