Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, where he conveyed Seoul's desire for President Xi Jinping to visit Korea in the coming months and emphasized the need for enhanced cooperation between both nations.
This marked Cho's inaugural official trip to China in his current role, which many observers interpreted as Seoul's attempt to strengthen diplomatic relations during a period of regional geopolitical changes.
Throughout their discussions, Cho emphasized the importance of the forthcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled for late next month in Gyeongju, located in North Gyeongsang Province.
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Wang responded by stressing the vital nature of ongoing dialogue between the two adjacent nations.
“It is very meaningful that APEC is being hosted in Northeast Asia — Korea this year and will be held in China again next year," he said. "I hope this will serve not only as an opportunity to advance APEC itself but also to deepen Korea–China relations. I look forward to President Xi attending the Gyeongju summit and visiting Korea, which would contribute to the further development of bilateral ties.”
“China and Korea are close neighbors. We need to visit each other often and increase exchanges. This helps deepen understanding, avoid misjudgments, promote mutual trust and expand cooperation,” Wang says.
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The Chinese foreign minister pointed to recent visits, including former National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug's trip to China and current Speaker Woo Won-shik's participation in China's Victory Day commemorations this month, as positive examples of diplomatic engagement that have contributed to better mutual comprehension.
Wang also expressed sympathy regarding the recent passing of a Korean coast guard official who lost his life while attempting to save a Chinese citizen, commending the officer's heroic actions. He reiterated China's dedication to strengthening the bilateral "strategic cooperative partnership" between the two countries.
Earlier, Cho Hyun delivered an uncommon criticism of the US regarding the recent arrest of South Korean employees in Georgia, as both nations remain stuck in trade discussions. Although the two countries established a preliminary trade agreement on July 30 to lower US import tariffs to 15 percent, talks have come to a standstill.
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The US government declared this week that it would begin implementing a 15 percent duty on Japanese vehicles under a bilateral trade agreement, while tariffs on automotive imports from South Korea continue at 25 percent, creating a substantial competitive disadvantage for the country relative to Japan.