During a press briefing on Wednesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning was questioned regarding the so-called “Four Nos” policy that Liu Jinsong, an official from China’s foreign ministry, may have presented during his visit to Seoul. Mao neither confirmed nor denied the event, instead referring to her previous statement from May 23. She reiterated that Liu Jinsong had “explicitly stated China’s serious position on its core concerns and exchanged views with the ROK side on other issues.”

South Korean media has reported the “Four Nos” policy as (1) Cooperation with the ROK will be withheld if its “core interests,” including the Taiwan issue, are compromised; (2) Cooperation will be withheld if South Korea leans towards a singularly pro-US/pro-Japan foreign policy; (3) High-level diplomatic exchanges, including a potential state visit to South Korea by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, will not be pursued if diplomatic tensions between the two nations persist; and (4) South Korea will not be permitted to take a leading role in North Korean affairs if discord remains between Seoul and Beijing.