South Korean President Lee Jae-myung arrived in Beijing on January 5, 2026, beginning his four-day state visit—the first since taking office and following last week's announcement. He will meet President Xi Jinping for their second summit in two months to reset ties, boost trade, and discuss security, with further stops including Shanghai.
Following the announcement last week of his state visit to China from January 4-7 at Xi Jinping's invitation, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport on the afternoon of January 5. Accompanied by over 200 business leaders, the trip emphasizes economic cooperation amid US-China tensions and regional issues affecting Seoul.
Lee's agenda includes a Korea-China business forum on Monday, a summit with Xi where a memorandum of understanding will be signed, a state banquet, and meetings with Premier Li Qiang and National People's Congress Chairman Zhao Leji. He will then visit Shanghai's site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea for a memorial service.
In a pre-trip China Central Television interview, Lee aimed to "minimize or eliminate past misunderstandings" and elevate ties, stressing cooperation in AI and high-tech while reaffirming the one-China principle and China's role in Korean Peninsula peace. Bilateral trade hit 2.14 trillion yuan ($306 billion) in the first 11 months of 2025, up 1.6%.
Experts note the rapid second meeting signals a reset after prior stagnation. The talks will address China's unofficial K-pop ban since 2016's THAAD deployment and Yellow Sea maritime concerns, building on the November 2025 Gyeongju summit.
