Prime minister to meet with Xi on sidelines of Hangzhou Asian Games

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Prime minister to meet with Xi on sidelines of Hangzhou Asian Games

Published: 22 Sep. 2023, 13:27

SARAH KIM
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Prime Minister Han Duck-soo greets reporters on his way to work at the government complex in Jongno District, central Seoul, Friday. He is set to depart for Hangzhou, China, for the Asian Games Saturday. [YONHAP]

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games in China over the weekend.

Han will depart for Hangzhou, China, on Saturday for a two-day trip to attend the Asiad opening ceremony, set to take place later that day, which would be an opportunity for him to encourage South Korean athletes, said the prime minister's office.

The two sides are currently "finalizing the location and time" for a meeting with Xi, which is likely to take place Saturday afternoon before the ceremony, Seoul officials said Friday.

Xi will be hosting world leaders and other dignitaries to attend the opening ceremony for the Hangzhou Games, which kicks off a two-week run Saturday. The Games were supposed to be held in 2022 but delayed to this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the meeting, Han could relay Seoul's efforts to arrange a three-way summit with Japan and China and also extend an invitation to Xi for a visit to South Korea.

It could also be an opportunity to discuss the denuclearization issue, such as the military cooperation between North Korea and Russia after the two countries' leaders' summit last week.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit on Nov. 15, 2022 in Bali, Indonesia. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

President Yoon Suk Yeol held his first bilateral summit with Xi on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November 2022. However, Xi didn't attend this year's G20 summit in New Delhi, India, earlier this month.

Yoon met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Sept. 7 in Jakarta on the sidelines of Asean-related meetings. Yoon asked China to "fulfill a responsible role" on the North Korean nuclear issue as a permanent member of the UN Security Council so that it doesn't become an "obstacle" in bilateral ties.

Yoon said if the North Korean nuclear issue is not resolved, the cooperative system between South Korea, the United States and Japan will inevitably become stronger. Beijing has been wary of the strengthened cooperation between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo, further solidified during the Camp David trilateral summit last month amid the intensifying Sino-U.S. strategic competition.

Yoon, however, also expressed to Li expectations for further economic cooperation with China. He also conveyed hopes for a South Korea-Japan-China summit, which has been on hiatus since 2019, to take place at an early date. South Korea is the current chair of the three-way summit.

Han will be the first high-level South Korean official to meet with Xi since Yoon 10 months ago.

South Korea usually sent culture ministers to such sports events.

"I think it would be great if I had the opportunity to briefly meet with President Xi Jinping and have some conversation in that process," Han told reporters Tuesday.

He indicated that Seoul is committed to maintaining an amicable relationship with Beijing and that his trip to Hangzhou for the Asian Games can be seen as "a signal to wanting to progress bilateral relations."

A meeting between Han and Xi at the Games could speed up the arranging of the South Korea-Japan-China summit. The Chinese premier takes part in this summit, not President Xi.

Seoul's Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin told the National Assembly's foreign affairs committee Thursday that the three-way summit "could be held within the year or early next year, and the other countries generally have the same idea."

If the three-way meeting is held, the "likelihood of President Xi coming to South Korea will increase significantly," Chang said.

A senior presidential official said in a briefing in New York Wednesday during Yoon's attendance at the UN General Assembly, "Since our prime minister will soon attend the opening ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games, I can say that we are in the process of building necessary communication and trust with China in many ways, regardless of security issues."

The visit comes as the National Assembly on Thursday passed a no-confidence motion against Han, the first time parliament has recommended the dismissal of an incumbent prime minister.

The Democratic Party has called on Han to take responsibility for the Yoon administration's alleged failures. However, Yoon is expected to reject the dismissal motion.