SEOUL – South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will travel to Beijing this week for discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, diplomatic sources confirmed Sunday. The visit, slated to begin around Wednesday, marks Cho’s first trip to China since assuming office in July.
The meetings come at a critical juncture as South Korea seeks assurances regarding China’s commitment to denuclearization efforts on the Korean Peninsula and aims to secure confirmation of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s attendance at next month’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Seoul. Concerns have risen following recent interactions between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Xi Jinping, and Kim’s participation alongside Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a military parade in Beijing-a display of unity that could complicate inter-Korean relations and Seoul’s balancing act between Beijing and Washington.
Cho is expected to use the opportunity to reaffirm the shared goal of a denuclearized Korean Peninsula,urging China to play a constructive role amid anxieties that Beijing might potentially be moderating its opposition to North Korea’s nuclear program. Kim Jong-un and Xi Jinping held their first meeting in over six years earlier this month, notably omitting any public discussion of denuclearization, a contrast to their four summits between 2018 and 2019.
Beyond the Korean Peninsula,the two foreign ministers are anticipated to address other bilateral issues,including a dispute over Chinese steel structures in a contested maritime zone of the Yellow Sea.The upcoming talks represent a key diplomatic effort for South Korea to navigate complex regional dynamics amid escalating U.S.-china rivalry.
