Li Zhanshu, the powerful chairman of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, visited South Korea last week to mark the 30th anniversary of normalized relations between Beijing and Seoul.

He received a warm welcome from President Yoon Suk-yeol — a month after he declined to meet U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during her trip to the country last month. Yoon extended an invitation to Xi Jinping to visit as well in hopes of “paving the way” for the next 30 years of bilateral relations.