[Editorial] Refined language is essential for diplomacy

China’s overreaction to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s opposition to “changes in the status quo over the Taiwan Strait” in a recent interview with Reuters is not desirable for the future of Korea and China. If the two countries’ relations worsen amid the tense U.S.-China conflict, it will benefit none of the two.

Asked about the tension in the Taiwan Strait in the interview Wednesday, Yoon put the blame on “an attempt to change the status quo by force.” He also defined the Taiwan issue as “a global issue,” not just an issue between China and Taiwan. Reuters also made it clear that Yoon kept prudence about the U.S.-China contest, given China’s importance as Korea’s largest trade partner. Overall, Yoon only underscored the need for peace in Northeast Asia, including the Taiwan Strait and the Korean Peninsula.

China certainly understands the context of Yoon’s comment. But a spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry of China showed a coarse reaction the following day. “The Taiwan question is purely an internal affair at the core of China’s core interests. Its resolution is a matter for the Chinese,” he said. “China will not allow others to meddle in the Taiwan issue.” Korea’s first vice foreign minister, Chang Ho-jin, called in the Chinese ambassador to Seoul and protested Beijing’s discourtesy.

China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang, an icon of China’s “wolf warrior” diplomacy, went a step further. In a forum on Friday, he even used non-diplomatic language to attack Korea. “Anyone who plays with fire over the Taiwan issue will be burned to death,” he warned. The rhetoric “play with fire” was used by Chinese President Xi Jinping when he had a virtual summit and a phone conversation with U.S. President Joe Biden in November 2021 and July 2022. Korea and China should be careful not to escalate the friction over Yoon’s remarks into a diplomatic conflict.

Yoon embarks on his state visit to the United States today to have a summit with Biden at the White House on Wednesday, to be followed by a joint press conference. Diverse events to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the alliance also will be held to signify the decades-old alliance. Yoon needs to be careful not to provoke a third party haphazardly while accentuating the alliance during his stay in America.

Bilateral diplomacy demands deliberateness from participants to consider the position of a third party. In a visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in January, Yoon paid a high price with his unnecessary description of Iran as “the UAE’s enemy” after being elated by Korea’s successful bid for the construction of nuclear plants worth $30 billion. We hope the president makes the best of his summit with Biden while minimizing diplomatic risks.