South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, finding common ground on the 'one China' principle but making no mention of North Korea. Lee declared 2026 the year for the 'full restoration of South Korea-China relations,' while Xi vowed to facilitate 'more frequent exchanges and closer communication.' The two countries finalized more than 10 cooperation agreements covering industrial exchanges, digital technology, intellectual property, and environmental collaboration.
During the Beijing meeting, Lee Jae-myung and Xi Jinping agreed on China's core interests and major concerns. South Korea stated it respects China's position and remains committed to the one-China policy, with Lee directly referencing the 1992 joint communique that formalized diplomatic ties between the two nations. The communique specifies that Seoul respects Beijing's stance that there is only one China, with Taiwan as part of it.
Nevertheless, North Korea emerged as the 'elephant in the room'—with no discussion on Pyongyang. This underscores the cautious approach in South Korea-China relations on sensitive geopolitical issues. The talks focused on bilateral cooperation to repair ties strained in recent years by tensions in the Taiwan Strait and South Korea's closer alignment with the US and Japan.
Lee's visit comes amid domestic political turbulence in South Korea, where as the main opposition leader, he seeks to revive economic links with China. Xi's response highlighted the importance of enhanced communication to advance partnerships in various fields. Analysts note that while North Korea was untouched, the meeting lays groundwork for future dialogues.
