South Korea Engages Beijing Over Opposition to Tri-Nation Statement on South China Sea

Seoul, South Korea – South Korea is currently engaged in diplomatic discussions with China following Beijing’s opposition to a joint statement by South Korea, the United States, and Japan regarding the South China Sea.

According to Yonhap News Agency, A South Korean foreign ministry official on Tuesday confirmed that the country had reaffirmed its stance to China through diplomatic channels. This comes after Beijing expressed discontent over the statement made by the three countries last week. The tri-nation statement was issued during their inaugural meeting of the trilateral Indo-Pacific dialogue, where they highlighted China’s “unlawful” claims in the South China Sea.

The statement also referenced the three countries’ shared views on what they termed as “recent dangerous and escalatory behavior supporting unlawful maritime claims” by China in the region. Following this, the Chinese foreign ministry on Monday voiced its opposition to the rhetoric used in the statement, asserting it as interference in China’s internal affairs.

The South Korean official emphasized that the joint statement reflects the consistent position of the South Korean government concerning Taiwan and the South China Sea. He also mentioned that Seoul is actively maintaining communication with Beijing, having clearly conveyed its perspective on the issue through diplomatic channels.