Yoon tells China's No. 3 official that Thaad shouldn't hinder relations

Politics

Published: 18 Sep. 2022, 16:12

Yoon tells China's No. 3 official that Thaad shouldn't hinder relations

Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, left, shakes hands with Li Zhanshu, chairman of China’s Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, in a meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan District, central Seoul, Friday. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said that the U.S.-led Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) antimissile system should not hinder bilateral relations in a meeting with Li Zhanshu, China's third most senior official, Friday.

Yoon also extended an invitation for Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Seoul during the 70-minute meeting with Li, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, at the Yongsan presidential office in Seoul.

Contrary to expectations that the two sides would avoid sensitive diplomatic issues, Yoon told Li that the two sides need to communicate closely "to make sure that Thaad does not become an obstacle to South Korea-China relations," according to Yoon's presidential office.

Li said that there is a "need for close communication on mutually sensitive issues," in reference to the Thaad issue.

Yoon mentioned Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin's meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Qingdao last month, which conveyed a similar message on Thaad.

Seoul and Washington's joint decision in 2016 to deploy the Thaad battery and its installation in Seongju, North Gyeongsang, in 2017 resulted in strong protests from Beijing and economic retaliation against Korea.

China has recently expressed concern that the Yoon government will expand the deployment of Thaad in Korea.

Beijing urged Seoul to uphold the so-called "Three Nos" pledge made by the Moon Jae-in administration in October 2017. The pledge vowed Korea would not make additional Thaad deployments, not participate in an American missile defense network, and not establish a U.S.-Korea-Japan military alliance.

But Seoul's Foreign Ministry stressed that the Three Nos policy was not an official pledge or agreement.

During their talks on Friday, Yoon and Li also focused on North Korea issues. Yoon explained his intention to pursue his so-called "audacious initiative" to bring about peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia.

Last month, Yoon proposed in a Liberation Day address his bold plan to help North Korea's economy if Pyongyang takes substantive steps toward denuclearization.

Li replied that he now has a better understanding of the South Korea government's initiative and will report it to Xi.

Yoon said Xi's visit to South Korea will be "an important opportunity to usher in the next 30 years of Korea-China relations," according to the presidential office.

Li said he will deliver the invitation to Xi, and asked Yoon to visit China at a convenient time.

Yoon said that it is necessary to "build mutually friendly feelings" by strengthening exchanges and communication between the two countries.

In turn, Li said China supports South Korea's expanded role in the international community in keeping with its vision of becoming a globally pivotal country and is willing to cooperate together toward this. Yoon replied there are many areas for cooperation between Seoul and Beijing in the region and in the international community.

Despite concerns that the Yoon administration is tilting more to the United States amid the Sino-U.S. rivalry, simultaneous events in Seoul and Beijing were hosted on Aug. 24 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral ties, and Yoon and Xi exchanged personal letters.

In his letter, Yoon wrote that he hopes that the two countries "seek new directions for cooperation over the next 30 years" and "quantitatively develop ties" based on a "spirit of mutual respect and reciprocity."

Xi last visited Korea in July 2014 during the Park Geun-hye administration.

The last summit between the two countries' leaders was between Xi and President Moon Jae-in on the sidelines of a Korea-China-Japan summit in Beijing in December 2019.

China's Xinhua News Agency reported Saturday that Li in his talks with Yoon stressed the importance of economic and trade cooperation in bilateral relations and urged the two sides to further deepen such cooperation to "ensure the security and stability of industrial and supply chains, and jointly uphold the rules-based free trade system."

This comes as the United States has pushed for a "Chip 4" alliance on semiconductor supply chains with South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, another issue China is concerned about.

Li, the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit South Korea in recent times, led a 66-member delegation on a visit to Seoul from Thursday to Saturday at the invitation of National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo.

This also marked the first visit by China's top legislator to Korea since Zhang Dejiang's trip in June 2015 during the Park Geun-hye administration.

Li and Speaker Kim held a meeting and a joint press conference earlier Friday at the National Assembly in western Seoul and agreed on the need to strengthen strategic communications to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue and maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula.

During their talks, Kim and Li also discussed the Thaad issue. Li said that China's opposition to Thaad's deployment is not directed at South Korea but because the "United States has impure intentions to undermine China's strategic and security interests."

Kim replied that the Thaad system is a "means of self-defense to protect our people from North Korea's serious nuclear and missile threats, and it is not a means of threatening a third country."

He added, "If the North Korean nuclear issue is resolved, the Thaad issue will be resolved naturally," and requested China's cooperation so that "North Korea can take the path of dialogue and diplomacy."

Kim later that night hosted a dinner banquet at his residence to further discuss ways to strengthen ties between the two countries.

Li also visited LG Sciencepark in Gangseo District in western Seoul, LG Group's R&D hub, a site also visited by U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in July.

Li met with former National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug, Kim's predecessor, who visited China in February to attend the Beijing Winter Olympics opening ceremony.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]