South Korea, China agree to launch diplomatic and security dialogue

SEOUL: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Chinese Premier Li Qiang agreed on Sunday (May 26) to launch a diplomatic and security dialogue and resume talks on a free trade agreement, Yoon’s office said.

Yoon and Li met in Seoul a day before a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the first three-way talks by the three Asian neighbours in more than four years.

China and the US-allied South Korea and Japan are trying to manage rising distrust amid the rivalry between Beijing and Washington and tensions over Taiwan.

Expectations are low for the trilateral summit, but even handshakes would help maintain at least some high-level diplomacy after years of deteriorating ties, diplomats and officials say.

The leaders could make progress in areas of practical cooperation like people-to-people exchanges and consular matters, officials and diplomats said.

Yoon told Li that South Korea and China should work together not only to promote shared interests based on mutual respect but also on regional and global issues to tackle common challenges, citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas conflict and global economic uncertainties.

“Just as Korea and China have overcome various difficulties together over the past 30 years and contributed to each other’s development and growth, I hope to continue to strengthen bilateral cooperation even in the face of today’s global complex crises,” Yoon said at the start of the meeting, according to his office.

Yoon asked China to play a greater role as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, especially as North Korea continues to develop nuclear missiles and boost military cooperation with Russia, saying another spy satellite launch using intercontinental ballistic-missile technology is imminent.

Li told Yoon their countries should oppose turning economic and trade issues into political or security issues and should work to maintain stable supply chains, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.

Li said China is ready to strengthen cooperation in high-end manufacturing, new energy, artificial intelligence, biomedicine and other fields.

China will further expand market access, strengthen guarantees for foreign investment and welcomes South Korean companies including Samsung to expand investment and cooperation, he said.