Xi Jinping asks Yoon to visit China first

Chinese President Xi Jinping asked South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to visit China during the China-South Korea summit in Peru on Friday. Previously, former President Moon Jae-in visited China twice during his term, but Xi did not visit South Korea. Therefore, it was Xi's turn to visit South Korea, but this time, he asked the South Korean leader to visit China first. Watchers say that Beijing is trying to ‘tame’ Seoul while at the same time enticing it ahead of the inauguration of President Donald Trump’s second term in the U.S.

The two leaders, who are visiting Lima, Peru, for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, sat down for the first time in two years. During the meeting, Xi first asked Yoon to visit China, and then Yoon invited Xi to visit South Korea. The two leaders did not respond immediately, with each only saying ‘thank you.’ “President Yoon naturally asked President Xi to visit South Korea, especially since we are hosting the APEC meeting in Gyeongju next fall,” a senior official at the South Korean presidential office told reporters.

During the meeting, Yoon raised an issue with military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, asking “China to play a constructive role.” Xi responded, only saying, “I hope the parties will resolve the issue peacefully through dialogue and negotiation.”

“Asia-Pacific regional cooperation is at a historic crossroads, challenged by unilateralism and protectionism,” Xi said in his speech to the APEC session on Saturday. “I hope that countries around the world will board the express train of China's development and achieve common prosperity.” The remarks are believed to target U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has campaigned on an ‘America First’ platform.


Hyung-Jun Hwang constant25@donga.com