South Korea aims to improve China relations after 2017 tensions, with Lee emphasizing trust-building through consistent action
SEOUL
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Wednesday that trust with China is improving and that he has asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help mediate talks with North Korea. Lee spoke to reporters in Shanghai after meeting Xi during a state visit, saying patience would be needed to reduce tension on the Korean peninsula.
Lee said he explained Seoul’s repeated but unsuccessful efforts to reopen dialogue with nuclear armed North Korea. He asked Beijing to use its influence to encourage talks aimed at peace and stability. According to Lee, Xi listened and acknowledged those efforts, while stressing that progress takes time and steady action.
The South Korean leader said his government wants to enter a new phase in relations with China after several difficult years. Ties cooled after South Korea deployed a United States missile defence system in 2017, a move that led to trade and cultural restrictions from Beijing. Lee said rebuilding trust and respect requires consistent work, not just words.
Lee and Xi have met twice in less than three months, a sign of warmer contacts. Lee said both sides discussed the wider region and the need to manage differences carefully while protecting core national interests. He added that recent tensions between China and Japan should be resolved through dialogue.
South Korea’s president said his country values stable ties with all major partners. He stressed that relations with Japan remain as important as ties with China, especially at a time of rising security risks in Northeast Asia.
He said cooperation from regional powers is vital to lower risks and keep dialogue open.
