Dai Bing’s implications for Korea and China
Published: 30 Dec. 2024, 19:20
YOU SANG-CHUL
The author is the head of the China Institute of the JoongAng Ilbo and CEO of China Lab.
Dai Bing has been named the new Chinese ambassador to Korea on Monday. It has been five and a half months since Xing Haiming left. Dai Bing’s arrival in Seoul gives us a glimpse into China’s diplomatic intentions toward Korea. The past eight ambassadors have been all Asia specialists. Zhang Tingyan, Li Bin, Ning Fukui and Xing Haiming are Korea experts, while Wu Dawei, Cheng Yonghua and Qiu Guohong are Japan experts. Zhang Xinsen was an expert in the affairs of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
Dai is the first Chinese ambassador without much of a background in Asia. He majored in English in college and mostly covered Africa for the Chinese Foreign Ministry. A notable aspect of his career was his service at the United Nations, the pinnacle of multilateral diplomacy, from 2020. He was the first deputy representative of the Chinese Mission to the UN, representing China’s voice on North Korean nuclear and Korea Peninsula issues for more than four years. He must have had frequent clashes with the United States spearheading sanctions against North Korea.
He is not unknowledgeable on Korean Peninsula affairs. Sending Dai to Korea seems to reflect China’s intention to look at the relations with Korea from the frame of rivalry with the United States. The timing of the posting is also noteworthy. While Korea is in chaos after martial law and impeachment at the end of the year, China sent Dai regardless. As Trump is already shaking the world even before inauguration, China doesn’t seem to waste any time in preparation for Trump 2.0.
The United States wants to check China with Korea and Japan. Meanwhile, China doesn’t consider Korea-U.S.-Japan alliance as irreversibly strong. China is pulling Korea and Japan and paying more efforts to Korea. Korea-China relations no longer mean the relationship between the two countries alone. In the past, China needed an ambassador who was knowledgeable in Korean affairs alone, but as the hegemonic rivalry between the United States and China is intensifying, an ambassador with ample experience in multilateral diplomacy is needed.
Dai is the result that meets the requirement. In a written statement after taking office, he said that Korea and China are both members of the UN Security Council and stressed “peace and stability in the region,” “protecting the international free trade system” and “solidarity and cooperation in the international community.” Between the lines of his speech, it is undeniable that China is confronting the United States. As Trump and Xi are set to meet in the future, signs of turbulence await, and the Korean Peninsula sits at the center of it.
When responding to the turmoil is a challenge even with the brightest mindset, Korean politics is waning due to internal fights.
The author is the head of the China Institute of the JoongAng Ilbo and CEO of China Lab.
Dai Bing has been named the new Chinese ambassador to Korea on Monday. It has been five and a half months since Xing Haiming left. Dai Bing’s arrival in Seoul gives us a glimpse into China’s diplomatic intentions toward Korea. The past eight ambassadors have been all Asia specialists. Zhang Tingyan, Li Bin, Ning Fukui and Xing Haiming are Korea experts, while Wu Dawei, Cheng Yonghua and Qiu Guohong are Japan experts. Zhang Xinsen was an expert in the affairs of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
Dai is the first Chinese ambassador without much of a background in Asia. He majored in English in college and mostly covered Africa for the Chinese Foreign Ministry. A notable aspect of his career was his service at the United Nations, the pinnacle of multilateral diplomacy, from 2020. He was the first deputy representative of the Chinese Mission to the UN, representing China’s voice on North Korean nuclear and Korea Peninsula issues for more than four years. He must have had frequent clashes with the United States spearheading sanctions against North Korea.
He is not unknowledgeable on Korean Peninsula affairs. Sending Dai to Korea seems to reflect China’s intention to look at the relations with Korea from the frame of rivalry with the United States. The timing of the posting is also noteworthy. While Korea is in chaos after martial law and impeachment at the end of the year, China sent Dai regardless. As Trump is already shaking the world even before inauguration, China doesn’t seem to waste any time in preparation for Trump 2.0.
The United States wants to check China with Korea and Japan. Meanwhile, China doesn’t consider Korea-U.S.-Japan alliance as irreversibly strong. China is pulling Korea and Japan and paying more efforts to Korea. Korea-China relations no longer mean the relationship between the two countries alone. In the past, China needed an ambassador who was knowledgeable in Korean affairs alone, but as the hegemonic rivalry between the United States and China is intensifying, an ambassador with ample experience in multilateral diplomacy is needed.
Dai is the result that meets the requirement. In a written statement after taking office, he said that Korea and China are both members of the UN Security Council and stressed “peace and stability in the region,” “protecting the international free trade system” and “solidarity and cooperation in the international community.” Between the lines of his speech, it is undeniable that China is confronting the United States. As Trump and Xi are set to meet in the future, signs of turbulence await, and the Korean Peninsula sits at the center of it.
When responding to the turmoil is a challenge even with the brightest mindset, Korean politics is waning due to internal fights.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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