South Korea, China agree to work towards bilateral summit at APEC as top envoys meet

South Korea and China have agreed to work toward a bilateral summit between their leaders during the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Peru this November, according to Seoul's Foreign Ministry on Sunday.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, left, and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, shake hands before their meeting in New York on Saturday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]

South Korea and China have agreed to work toward a bilateral summit between their leaders during the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Peru this November, according to Seoul's Foreign Ministry on Sunday.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, held a 45-minute meeting on Saturday in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The meeting marks a continuation of a thaw in relations between the two nations, following a period of tension early in President Yoon Suk Yeol's administration as Seoul drew closer to Washington. The relationship has steadily improved since Cho's visit to Beijing in May and the trilateral summit between South Korea, China and Japan held in Seoul afterward.

“There is a consensus between South Korea and China to maintain the current positive momentum in our exchanges such as at the APEC summit,” Cho was quoted as saying in his opening remarks, according to the foreign ministry's statement. He expressed hope that his conversation with Wang would further solidify plans for high-level interactions at the November summit in Peru.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, left, and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, exchange discussions during their meeting in New York on Saturday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]

During the meeting, Wang expressed China’s support for South Korea’s role as APEC chair in 2025. He also pledged that China would "actively cooperate to ensure that the APEC summit in Gyeongju next November achieves fruitful outcomes." This suggests that both countries may consider a potential summit between the South Korean President and Chinese President Xi Jinping at both this year’s and next year’s APEC meetings.

The last summit between Yoon and Xi occurred in November 2022 during the APEC summit in Indonesia. However, plans for a follow-up meeting at the 2023 summit fell through, with the two leaders only exchanging greetings.

The two ministers discussed North Korean issues during the meeting.

Cho raised concerns about North Korea’s recent ballistic missile launches and its disclosure of a new uranium enrichment facility. He stressed the importance of continued high-level strategic communication between Seoul and Beijing, especially as Pyongyang's provocations escalate ahead of the U.S. presidential election. Cho also reiterated South Korea’s position that China should play a "constructive role" in addressing the security challenges on the Korean Peninsula.

Wang, for his part, emphasized China’s commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the region, stating that “war and chaos must not occur on the Korean Peninsula.” He affirmed China’s role in promoting dialogue and fostering long-term stability on the Peninsula.

Cho also called for China’s cooperation and special attention to the protection of North Korean defectors. Both sides agreed to strengthen economic cooperation and revitalize exchanges between local governments, parliaments and academic institutions.

Wang, on the other hand, raised concerns about the deployment of U.S. intermediate-range missiles in the region, arguing that such an action "undermines regional peace and stability and is not in the interest of regional countries." China has been particularly wary of the potential deployment of U.S. missiles in South Korea and Japan since the U.S. withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019.

This meeting marks the third face-to-face encounter between the two foreign ministers since their initial talks in Beijing in May. Both ministers expressed their intent to continue strategic communication, with Wang stating that he hopes to visit South Korea at a mutually convenient time for further discussions.

On Friday, Cho delivered a keynote speech at the UN General Assembly, in which he credited the United Nations with South Korea’s transformation from a war-ravaged nation to a prosperous democracy and for defending the country’s freedom during the Korean War. He stressed the importance of multilateralism in addressing global challenges, particularly as skepticism has grown regarding the effectiveness of a fragmented UN and other multilateral mechanisms fueled by ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises, including Russia's war in Ukraine and the war between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza.

Cho also called for international support for South Korea’s “Aug. 15 Unification Doctrine,” which envisions a unified, peaceful and prosperous Korean Peninsula, while highlighting ongoing threats from North Korea, including its military cooperation with Russia.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]