South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Monday during Lee’s first visit to Beijing as president. Lee said he wanted 2026 to become “the first year of the full‑scale restoration of Korea‑China relations.”
“I believe that efforts to develop the strategic cooperation and partnership between the two countries into an irreversible trend of the times will continue,” Lee said after meeting with Xi in Beijing.
Lee said South Korea and China should collaborate on areas including artificial intelligence, consumer goods, and cultural content. China has imposed bans on South Korean cultural products in recent years, partly to curb the influence of South Korean capitalism and partly in response to Seoul’s deployment of the U.S. THAAD missile defense system in 2016. Analysts suggested Lee’s overture on cultural cooperation may signal a willingness to seek concessions from Beijing.
Xi invoked historical ties between China and Korea, referencing their joint resistance against Japan in World War II. He called for “correct strategic choices” amid what he described as an “increasingly chaotic and complicated international situation,” urging both nations to respect each other’s core interests and resolve differences through dialogue.
The historical analogy carries contemporary weight, as China is currently in diplomatic tension with Japan over Tokyo’s stated intent to defend Taiwan against potential Chinese use of force. Japan’s stance has angered Beijing and raised regional security concerns.
In a Chinese state media interview before his trip, Lee reaffirmed South Korea’s respect for the “One China” policy and emphasized his desire to clarify that strong ties with the United States do not make South Korea an adversary of China.
The broader context for renewed China‑Korea engagement includes mutual economic interests. Lee brought a large South Korean business delegation to Beijing, with leaders from major conglomerates such as Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor Group, and LG attending a business forum alongside executives from fashion, entertainment, and gaming industries.
Lee and Xi previously met in November on the sidelines of the Asia‑Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, where Lee pressed Xi to encourage North Korea to reduce hostilities and return to denuclearization talks. Xi did not publicly address North Korea after that meeting, though Lee’s office said Xi privately pledged to help promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea expressed its displeasure with increased diplomatic activity by launching a series of ballistic missiles on Sunday, just hours before Lee departed for Beijing. South Korea’s Defense Ministry condemned the launches as a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. Japan’s Defense Minister also criticized the missile tests, calling them a threat to regional peace and security.
Amid these developments, reports indicate a potential summit between Lee and Japan’s Prime Minister Takaichi later this month. U.S. President Donald Trump also recently invited Takaichi to visit the United States, underscoring the evolving strategic dynamics in East Asia.
