[Meanwhile] Let the Chinese travel to Korea freely

If so, why not improve Korea-China relations starting with allowing Chinese people to freely travel to Korea.

YOU SANG-CHULThe author is the head of the China Institute of the JoongAng Ilbo and CEO of China Lab. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently made a surprise visit to LG Display’s factory in Guangzhou. There are several reasons for Xi’s visit to the South.

First of all, he received French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to China earlier this month. He invited Macron to the Song Yuan presidential residence — full of characteristics of the Cantonese-style “Lingnan garden” — in Guangzhou to build a personal relationship with the French president. Probably being impressed by the visit, Macron continues to make pro-China remarks.

Hong Kong media also reported that Xi may have visited his 100-year-old mother living in Shenzhen, a city in the Guandong Province.

Xi’s trip to the LG factory took place during this schedule. It is reportedly the first time that Xi has visited a local factory of a Korean company since he took power. During the hour-long inspection, Xi also gave words of blessing and stressed the friendship between Korea and China. I still remain doubtful, but the visit could be interpreted as a signal to improve China’s relations with Korea.

Just in time, five Korean films are showing at the Beijing International Film Festival from April 22 to Saturday. Though this has occurred slowly over the past few years, it certainly could be a positive sign for the bilateral relationship.

However, one swallow does not mean spring is here. The website of C-Trip, the biggest Chinese online travel agency, shows the current status of the Korea-China relationship as Korea cannot be found in its list of overseas travel destinations.

If you look at the group tour destinations, it is more dumbfounding. Korea is missing in the list of 20 Asian countries. Japan is promoted first as an overseas travel destination.

How about Fliggy, another online travel agency? It shows travel destinations all around the world, including Southeast Asia, Europe, the Americas, Oceania, the Middle East and Africa, but not Korea. The five-day Labor Day golden holiday starts from Saturday.

Chinese media reported that overseas trip reservations surged 18 times from last year. Preferred destinations by Chinese tourists include Bangkok, Phuket, the Maldives, Bali and Chiang Mai.

Meanwhile, another Chinese survey reported that Seoul ranked fourth in favored destinations by Chinese tourists after Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore. This is quite a surprising result considering China’s ban on group travel to Korea and no promotion of the country as a travel destination.

Contrary to the Chinese government’s direction, the Chinese people’s love for Korea seems extraordinary. If so, why not improve Korea-China relations starting with allowing Chinese people to freely travel to Korea?