China has urged South Korea to avoid taking sides between Beijing and Washington, while calling on the United States to abandon what it described as a “hostile” policy towards North Korea to help ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remarks during a meeting with South Korean National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac in Seoul on Thursday. Wang also held talks with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
According to China’s state news agency Xinhua, Wang said the root causes of tensions on the Korean Peninsula must be addressed and called on Washington to change its approach towards Pyongyang.
Beijing also urged Seoul to pursue greater strategic autonomy, avoid bloc confrontation and maintain balanced relations with both China and the United States.
The comments came shortly after US President Donald Trump said he planned to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year. Trump also claimed North Korea possessed 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons.
Trump had separately ordered Pentagon officials to shorten joint military exercises with South Korea, citing his “very good relationship” with Kim.
The United States continues to officially demand the denuclearisation of North Korea, a position that Pyongyang has repeatedly rejected.
Meanwhile, South Korea condemned North Korea’s launch of more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday and ordered its military to remain on full alert during ongoing joint exercises with US forces.
Wang told Wi that China wanted to see the Korean Peninsula move towards peaceful coexistence between North and South Korea. He also called for dialogue to resume and trust between the two sides to be rebuilt.
Wang invited Wi to visit China, according to South Korea’s presidential office. Wi, in turn, asked Beijing to provide constructive support for Seoul’s policy towards North Korea.
The South Korean government is seeking to restart dialogue with Pyongyang while advocating a phased and pragmatic approach to denuclearisation, beginning with a halt to North Korea’s nuclear programme.
China-South Korea Ties
During a separate meeting with Lee, Wang urged South Korea to maintain a friendly policy towards China, saying bilateral relations had “fully recovered” and made progress following recent meetings between the two countries’ leaders.
He said a rational and pragmatic approach towards China was in South Korea’s interests and reflected broader regional developments.
Wang also called for the early completion of the second phase of negotiations on the countries’ free trade agreement, arguing that both nations should strengthen regional economic integration as global trade fragmentation and protectionism increase.
Lee told Wang that China and South Korea had achieved tangible progress towards a “full restoration” of bilateral relations. He also pledged Seoul’s support for China’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen later this year.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun separately told Parliament that Seoul was working towards arranging a summit between Lee and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit.
