{"id":2198981,"date":"2022-09-19T10:58:17","date_gmt":"2022-09-19T10:58:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nknews.org\/koreapro\/?p=2198981"},"modified":"2023-04-05T16:11:35","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T07:11:35","slug":"south-korea-and-china-move-to-normalize-diplomacy-even-as-yoon-looks-west","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2022\/09\/south-korea-and-china-move-to-normalize-diplomacy-even-as-yoon-looks-west\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea and China move to normalize diplomacy, even as Yoon looks West"},"content":{"rendered":"
Li Zhanshu, the powerful chairman of China\u2019s National People\u2019s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, visited South Korea last week to mark the 30th anniversary of normalized relations between Beijing and Seoul.<\/span><\/p>\n He received a warm welcome from President Yoon Suk-yeol \u2014 a month after he declined to meet U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during her trip <\/span>to the country<\/span><\/a> last month. Yoon extended an invitation to Xi Jinping to visit as well in hopes of \u201cpaving the way\u201d for the next 30 years of bilateral relations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI hope that the two countries will continue to expand on our common interests and deepen their bilateral relations and trust,\u201d Li reciprocated during the meeting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A National Assembly <\/span>press release<\/span><\/a> also emphasized that South Korea \u201clooks to China to play a constructive role\u201d in \u201ccontinuing efforts for a peaceful and diplomatic resolution to the North Korean nuclear issue.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The meeting comes as ROK-PRC relations have deteriorated over the past half-decade. China enacted punitive economic measures after Seoul agreed to host a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, costing the ROK economy billions of dollars.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Beijing also bristled at Yoon Suk-yeol\u2019s <\/span>NATO summit<\/span><\/a> attendance in June, and offered conflicting assessments from Seoul about what their foreign ministers agreed to <\/span>during a meeting<\/span><\/a> last month.<\/span><\/p>\n While Yoon and Li did not discuss the THAAD issue, they agreed to work closely on the \u201csensitive matter\u201d so that it would not obstruct further cooperation. The NPC chairman also met National Assembly speaker Kim Jin-pyo, who stressed the need for <\/span>\u201cmutual respect<\/span><\/a>\u201d and understanding of each other\u2019s \u201cmajor interests.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Han Suk-hee, professor of Chinese studies at Yonsei University, told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i> that Yoon\u2019s public comments point to an effort at de-escalation.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLi was probably intent on addressing China\u2019s position on the THAAD issue more clearly during his visit,\u201d Han told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>, \u201cbut Yoon sidestepped him by stating he doesn\u2019t want the missile defense system to be an obstruction to future cooperation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n U.S. WARINESS<\/b><\/p>\n While Li did not make any public references to the U.S. during his South Korea trip \u2014 including initiatives such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) and the Chip 4 alliance \u2014 he highlighted in a speech at the National Assembly that South Korea and China should work together to safeguard \u201cmultilateralism and the regional trade system\u201d in reference to these developments.<\/span><\/p>\n The Chinese official, however, didn\u2019t appear equipped to offer tangible alternatives to U.S. initiatives, according to Seoul National University political science professor Chaesung Chun.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHis statements are only repeating past official positions,\u201d Chun told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>, \u201cLi does not seem to offer strong incentives to the Yoon government for promoting renewed bilateral economic cooperation\u201d even though China wants to prevent further South Korean economic alignment with the U.S.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Speaker Kim and Chairman Li also called for further progress toward a Korea-China free trade agreement, which the Chinese official said should accompany \u201chigh-quality and integrated\u201d bilateral efforts to \u201cstabilize the supply chain and further high-tech cooperation.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Li also visited LG\u2019s central research and development complex in Seoul, which hosts R&D on electronics, electric vehicles, telecommunications and more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n