Wang Yi begins two-day South Korea visit
Crhk · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is visiting South Korea from Wednesday to Thursday for talks focused on bilateral issues and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. During the trip, he is scheduled to meet South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, and South Korean officials say he may also meet President Lee Jae-myung. According to Seoul, Wang told Cho in their latest talks that Beijing is actively considering arranging a China-South Korea leaders’ meeting during the APEC summit in Shenzhen in November. The visit comes ahead of that November summit, with both sides expected to review follow-up work from earlier APEC discussions and wider cooperation.
Key Points
- South Korea’s foreign ministry said Wang will visit from March 19 to March 20 and hold talks with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun.
- The agenda includes current bilateral issues and the Korean Peninsula situation, according to Seoul’s announcement on Tuesday.
- Wang and Cho last met in Beijing in September last year, before the APEC summit linked to Gyeongju.
- South Korea said Wang told Cho that Beijing is actively considering a leaders’ meeting during the November APEC summit in Shenzhen.
- The two sides also agreed to pursue cooperation on services and investment talks under their free trade agreement, supply chains, cultural exchanges and giant panda loans.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the visit is a reminder that regional diplomacy around the Korean Peninsula can affect supply-chain stability and the wider economic environment in East Asia. Any progress toward a China-South Korea leaders’ meeting at the Shenzhen APEC summit could also shape the regional agenda on trade, security and cross-border exchanges close to Hong Kong.