Two months after their last encounter, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping focused their discussions on strengthening ties between their nations rather than addressing pressing issues. Analysts on Tuesday suggested that the two leaders, who had declared a full restoration of South Korea-China relations during their initial meeting last November, aimed to create a positive atmosphere to normalize bilateral relations in this recent meeting.
On Monday, President Lee and President Xi held a 90-minute summit followed by a 120-minute state dinner at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The Blue House reported that both the meeting and dinner proceeded in a generally cordial atmosphere.
After the state dinner, President Lee took out the Xiaomi smartphone gifted to him by President Xi last November and posed for a commemorative photo with Xi. This smartphone was a gift from Xi to Lee during their meeting in Gyeongju last year.
During that previous meeting, President Lee joked about communication security while referring to the Xiaomi smartphone, and President Xi humorously suggested checking the phone for any backdoors (malicious code), showcasing their friendly rapport. By bringing out the so-called backdoor phone again, President Lee appeared to emphasize the comfortable communication between the two leaders.
President Lee expressed his desire to open a new chapter in South Korea-China relations, stating that he aims to build a solid foundation of goodwill by translating the trust between President Xi and myself into political trust in South Korea-China relations.
In response, President Xi remarked that the more friends you make and the more you interact with neighbors, the closer you become, emphasizing that South Korea and China, as friends and neighbors, should engage in more frequent visits and diligent communication.
While Sensitive Issues Remained Unresolved, They Laid the Groundwork for High-Level Communication
During this summit, the two leaders signed 15 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) related to cooperation in various sectors affecting people’s lives. They also agreed to gradually expand cultural content exchanges, effectively working towards lifting the ban on Korean cultural content in China.
Additionally, a large economic delegation comprising 161 companies and over 400 members is expected to sign 32 MOUs with Chinese counterparts at a business forum. This indicates that both countries are continuing to prioritize the expansion of exchanges and cooperation in their diplomatic efforts, following last year’s summit.
However, both sides showed restraint in discussing sensitive diplomatic and security issues, such as China’s unauthorized installations in the Yellow Sea, Taiwan, the China-Japan conflict, and the situation in Venezuela, which China has reacted to sensitively.
In his opening remarks before the meeting, President Xi stated that it must firmly stand on the right side of history and make the correct strategic choices, and mentioned that South Korea and China, as beneficiaries of economic globalization, should jointly oppose protectionism and practice true multilateralism. Although these comments seemed to reference the China-Japan conflict and the South Korea-U.S. alliance, reports indicate that he did not escalate sensitive issues during his private discussions with President Lee.
Both countries appear to prefer managing sensitive issues rather than reaching immediate conclusions, focusing instead on expanding the scope and depth of future dialogues to maintain smooth communication.
Wi Sung-lac, the National Security Office Director, met with reporters after the summit and stated that the two leaders agreed to meet annually to fully restore South Korea-China relations. He also explained that they agreed to expand communication and exchanges between their diplomatic and defense authorities. This suggests they will address sensitive matters through frequent high-level communications rather than direct negotiations between the leaders.
Notably, Director Wi expressed cautious optimism regarding the Yellow Sea construction issue, stating that it has agreed to continue constructive consultations, and added that he feels it can make progress. This suggests that South Korea and China have created conditions to improve communication after two summits.
Resuming Dialogue with North Korea is Crucial, They Agreed, Emphasizing that Peace and Stability on the Korean Peninsula are in Their Common Interest
During this summit, the South Korean government planned to actively advocate for China to play a constructive role in resolving the North Korean issue. Reports indicate that President Lee dedicated a significant portion of his remarks to discussions about the Korean Peninsula and North Korea while conversing with President Xi.
The Blue House confirmed that the two leaders reaffirmed their shared understanding that peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula are in both nations’ common interest and established a consensus on the importance of resuming dialogue with North Korea. Although this announcement came from the South Korean side, it can be interpreted as a sign that South Korea and China are creating conditions for future cooperation on North Korean issues.
Director Wi stated that it confirmed China’s willingness to play a constructive role in dialogue with North Korea, and added that the two nations will continue to seek creative solutions for easing tensions and building peace on the Korean Peninsula.
In the past, China has only expressed its intention to take a constructive role in resolving the North Korean issue. Thus, the announcement from the Blue House that it is important to resume dialogue with North Korea and that the two countries agreed to seek creative solutions suggests that China may be willing to take a more proactive role regarding North Korean matters.
With President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to China in April, the South Korean government welcomes China’s increased role in seeking points of contact with North Korea, given China’s close relationship with the North. Consequently, we can expect heightened attention to China’s future actions regarding North Korea.