Xi’s will to improve ties with Seoul welcomed

Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed his will to improve China’s relations with South Korea in a meeting with Prime Minister Han Duk-soo on the sidelines of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. In the 26-minute meeting on Saturday, Xi defined South Korea as “China’s inseparable partner country” and made clear his intention to “establish a strategic partnership with South Korea” to meet the demands of the times toward co-prosperity.

After South Korea, the United States and Japan joined forces to deal with the growing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea, Seoul-Beijing relations went awry. In May, President Yoon Suk Yeol vented his disgruntlement at China for shunning international sanctions on North Korea. In June, the bilateral ties worsened further after the Chinese ambassador to Seoul threatened South Korea to bet on China’s triumph in a hegemony war with the United States in his meeting with Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung. In July, Xi’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin followed by a North Korean and Russian foreign ministers’ meeting testified to the consolidation of the three countries’ ties.

Xi’s willingness to restore Seoul-Beijing relations under such circumstances deserves praise. He affirmed China’s amicable stance toward South Korea and appreciated South Korea’s eagerness to enhance Seoul-Beijing ties. Even given the need for the Chinese leader to show diplomatic courtesy toward a visiting South Korean prime minister, Xi first expressed his hope for a visit to Seoul.

A high-level meeting among South Korea, China and Japan will be held in Seoul on Tuesday to pave the way for a tripartite summit. The Chinese delegation’s attitude will serve as a barometer of Xi’s sincerity toward the summit. We hope Xi’s description of South Korea as “China’s inseparable partner” bears fruit soon. His last trip to South Korea took place in 2014.

China’s economic prowess may have weakened due to the slump in its real estate sector, an alarming surge in loan delinquency, and U.S. restrictions on exporting cutting-edge technologies to China. Some analysts attribute the slowed recovery of our economy to the recession in China. And yet, China is still a leading manufacturer and supplier for the global economy. That’s why the United States sends its state secretary and treasury secretary to China to discuss thorny issues even amid a tense rivalry. Europe is no exception. Practical, not ideological, diplomacy is the answer for South Korea.

If China can help put the brakes on North Korea’s audacious plan to complete its nuclear weapons program, it can significantly ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula. As Xi has extended his hand to improve Beijing’s relations with Seoul, we urge our foreign ministry to use it wisely.