On Tuesday, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met with Li Qiang, China’s second-highest-ranking official and head of the State Council. During their talks, Kim expressed hope that China would play a constructive role in fostering conditions for dialogue between the two Koreas and between North Korea and the U.S.
A spokesperson from the Prime Minister’s Office briefed reporters at a hotel in Dalian, China. They stated that Kim discussed his recent visits to the U.S., where he met with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. These meetings demonstrated the U.S.’s commitment to improving relations with North Korea. The spokesperson added that China’s President Xi Jinping recently visited North Korea and has maintained positive relations with the country.
Prime Minister Kim held a Korea-China Prime Ministerial meeting at the Dalian Bangchao Hotel. This marked the first such meeting in seven years, following the 2019 talks between former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon of the Moon Jae-in administration and Premier Li Keqiang.
The spokesperson emphasized that it stressed that dialogue with North Korea is crucial not only for the Korean Peninsula but also for global peace and stability. They added that Li Qiang concurred with this view.
Additionally, Prime Minister Kim requested that China dispatch an investment research team promptly to explore investment opportunities in the Saemangeum Industrial Complex.
Li Qiang responded that he is overseeing economic matters and is eager for Korean companies to increase their investments in China. He stated that if Korean companies encounter challenges, it will actively listen and strive to resolve those issues.
Regarding the follow-up negotiations for the Korea-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on services and investment, Li Qiang urged to let’s expedite the negotiations to conclude them within this year. There’s significant potential for trade and economic cooperation between Korea and China, and it must capitalize on that potential.
Prime Minister Kim agreed, stating that he will work diligently to ensure the follow-up negotiations progress smoothly this year.
Li Qiang also emphasized the need to strengthen industrial ties in emerging fields, including semiconductors. He stressed that in innovation, let’s leverage the respective strengths to enhance not only supply chains but also vertical and horizontal cooperation.
He noted that industrial cooperation between Korea and China is crucial, particularly in semiconductors where Korea holds a competitive edge. He expressed hope for mutually beneficial collaboration in this sector.
In response, Prime Minister Kim strongly agreed on the necessity of cooperation in advanced industries, including semiconductors. They decided to bolster high-level exchanges in the economic sector to enhance cooperation between Korea and China.
The Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson mentioned that Li Qiang and Prime Minister Kim both agreed on the need to strengthen high-level exchanges at all levels. They noted that with President Xi Jinping’s upcoming participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting and President Lee Jae Myung’s visit to China, there is momentum for high-level exchanges, and they discussed building on this foundation.
The spokesperson added that it proposed using the APEC meeting in Shenzhen this November as an opportunity for high-level exchanges, explaining that Prime Minister Kim’s visit to China would serve as a bridge for bilateral relations.
Both prime ministers agreed on the importance of fostering and developing friendly sentiments between their peoples.
The spokesperson reported that Li Qiang emphasized the significance of tourism, sports, education, exchanges between local governments, and youth education. Prime Minister Kim fully concurred, particularly highlighting the importance of youth exchange programs between Korea and China, viewing them as crucial for the future of bilateral relations.
He continued that to improve friendly sentiments between the peoples, it agreed to actively counter fake news that fosters negative perceptions of each other. China assured they would do their utmost to preserve the cultural heritage sites of interest to Korea, and the Prime Minister requested continued attention and effort in this regard.
The spokesperson also mentioned that Li Qiang pointed out the need for cooperation among Korea, China, and Japan. He explained that recent statements and actions from Japan’s leaders have undermined the foundation for trilateral cooperation. He called for enhanced collaboration between Korea and China. The spokesperson noted that Prime Minister Kim acknowledged the historical issues with Japan but mentioned his efforts to develop relations with Japan from a forward-looking perspective.
