Security adviser warns China to avoid actions that harm 'healthy development' of ties

National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong speaks to reporters at Gimpo International Airport Wednesday before departing for Tokyo for trilateral talks with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts. [NEWS1]

National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong on Wednesday warned against any actions that go against the "healthy development" of relations between Seoul and Beijing.

Cho was referring to recent controversial remarks by Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming apparently warning Seoul against siding with Washington over Beijing.

"We believe that there shouldn't be anything that regresses or is not conducive to the healthy development of Korea-China relations," Cho told reporters at Gimpo International Airport.

Cho was headed to Tokyo for a two-day trip to hold trilateral talks with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Takeo Akiba, secretary general of Japan's National Security Secretariat.

During a meeting with Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung last Thursday, Xing said in a speech in front of the media that those who are siding with the United States and "bet on China's defeat will surely regret it later," sparking a diplomatic firestorm.

When asked to remark on Xing's comments, Cho replied, "Regarding South Korea-China relations, let's focus on the two key keywords of mutual respect and common interests, and develop them. It is the unchanging position of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration to develop healthy [relations] again."

Xing's remarks prompted the Korean Foreign Ministry to summon the ambassador to lodge a formal protest for his "unreasonable and provocative" remarks last week. China's Foreign Ministry in turn also lodged a protest after summoning Korea's ambassador to Beijing.

President Yoon Suk Yeol reportedly noted that the Korean people were "displeased" with the ambassador's "inappropriate" attitude at a closed-door meeting of the Cabinet Tuesday and questioned whether he had "an attitude of mutual respect or friendship befitting a diplomat." It is unusual for the president to remark directly on such diplomatic tiffs.

The presidential office also said Tuesday it called on China to "take the appropriate measure" regarding Xing.

Wang Wenbin, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman, said in a press briefing Tuesday that Beijing "deeply regrets" remarks from the Korean side and reports by media outlets that "amount to personal attacks" on the ambassador.

He said there "is no point in making an issue of this," as it is Xing's job to "engage extensively with people from various walks of life," stressing that a "sound and steady" bilateral relationship serves the common interests of both sides.

His remarks were construed as Beijing turning down Seoul's call for appropriate measures to be taken regarding Xing's remarks.

In Japan, Cho, Sullivan and Akiba will hold in-depth discussions on North Korea, key regional and international issues and the way to go forward with trilateral cooperation, according to the presidential office in a statement.

This marks the first meeting of the three countries' top security advisers in nine months, and the first one with Cho participating since he took the post at the end of March.

Cho, who previously served as Korean ambassador to the United States, will also hold separate bilateral meetings with Sullivan and Akiba.

Regarding whether the Seoul-Washington nuclear consultative group (NCG) will be on the agenda, Cho said, "Of course we need to activate the Korea-U.S. NCG at an early date. There will be an opportunity to fully discuss that issue as well."

The NCG, a bilateral consultation group to discuss extended deterrence in the Korean Peninsula, as well as nuclear and strategic planning, was announced through the Washington Declaration issued during Yoon's state visit to the United States in April for a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden.

But Cho drew the line on expanding Japan's participation in the Korea-U.S. NCG for the time being.

"Our government is open to discussing extended deterrence between South Korea, the United States and Japan at the policy level," Cho said. "However, this is very different from the nuclear consultative group discussed between Korea and the United States."

Referring to his trilateral and bilateral talks, Cho said, "I will return with in-depth consultations on North Korea, economic security and cutting-edge technology with the goal of securing more national interests in all areas of security."

Yoon, Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida briefly met on the sidelines of the Group of 7, or G7, summit in Hiroshima, Japan last month, and the U.S. president invited the two leaders to visit Washington for another trilateral meeting as early as this summer.

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