As South Korean President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Washington to meet with President Donald Trump on Monday, his government has simultaneously dispatched a top envoy to Beijing, as Seoul looks to recalibrate its foreign policy and alliances.
Normalising South Korea-China Relations
While Lee landed in Washington early Monday, former National Assembly speaker Park Byeong-seug met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, delivering a personal letter from Lee to Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to a Reuters report.
According to South Korea’s foreign ministry, Wang has invited Jinping to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in October.
Park told Wang he hoped the countries would work together to “open the door to normalising South Korea-China relations, which have been strained in recent years,” referring to the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system in 2017, which Beijing opposed, resulting in a rocky relationship between the two East Asian countries.
According to remarks published by the Chinese foreign ministry, Wang emphasized “good neighbourliness, seeking common ground while reserving differences and expanding cooperation are the ‘right choices,'” while adding that both sides should “improve national sentiment and manage sensitivities properly.”
Park reaffirmed that the Lee administration would continue to develop its alliance with the U.S. but also focus on “a mature development of South Korea-China strategic cooperation partnership based on national interest.”
Other Countries Grow Closer To China
Following Trump’s trade and tariff offensive in recent months, several countries, even prominent American allies, have since warmed up to China.
This includes India, which is making significant progress with its relationship with China across several fronts, such as rare earth minerals and border disputes.
Similarly, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a state visit to China last month, where he said that “Australia will remain a strong supporter of free and fair trade,” according to a report by APNews.
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