Gyeongju: President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to engage in their first summit talks on Saturday, with the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula being a key topic of discussion, as announced by Seoul. The meeting will take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, marking the first visit for Xi to South Korea in over a decade.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the discussions between the two leaders come at a time when Seoul is attempting to strike a balance by strengthening ties with China, its largest trading partner, while maintaining its close relationship with the United States amidst escalating global power competition. Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung stated that the summit agenda will cover the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, regional peace and stability, and economic issues affecting citizens’ livelihoods.
Under his strategy of “pragmatic diplomacy,” President Lee aims to develop a balanced and forward-looking framework for relations with Beijing, emphasizing China’s significance as a regional partner. Lee is anticipated to request China’s constructive involvement in advancing peace efforts as Seoul seeks to reduce inter-Korean tensions and revive stalled denuclearization talks.
The talks also come as Pyongyang has so far disregarded Lee’s offers for dialogue and has not responded to previous outreach from U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at engaging North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Additionally, economic cooperation is expected to be a major topic during the discussions.
Tensions have heightened following Beijing’s recent announcement of retaliatory measures against five U.S. subsidiaries of Hanwha Ocean, accusing them of collaborating with a U.S. investigation into China’s maritime and shipbuilding sectors. This move has raised concerns in Seoul, as these companies are anticipated to play an important role in aiding the U.S. to rebuild its shipbuilding industry as per a trade agreement between Seoul and Washington.
The upcoming talks follow a recent summit between Lee and Trump, which concluded with a trade deal to reduce U.S. tariffs and gained U.S. approval for the use of nuclear fuel in South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine project.