{"id":2201335,"date":"2023-06-09T20:08:44","date_gmt":"2023-06-09T11:08:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2201335"},"modified":"2023-06-16T15:50:02","modified_gmt":"2023-06-16T06:50:02","slug":"a-chinese-diplomats-controversial-remarks-stoke-tensions-with-south-korea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/06\/a-chinese-diplomats-controversial-remarks-stoke-tensions-with-south-korea\/","title":{"rendered":"A Chinese diplomat\u2019s controversial remarks stoke tensions with South Korea"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tensions between South Korea and China have bubbled to the surface this week, after China\u2019s ambassador to South Korea made controversial <\/span>remarks<\/span><\/a> about Seoul\u2019s efforts to bolster ties with Washington.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a meeting with Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung on Thursday, Ambassador Xing Haiming said, \u201cI can say definitely that those betting on China\u2019s defeat will certainly regret it later.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Xing\u2019s expression of discontent with President Yoon Suk-yeol\u2019s foreign policy has set off a backlash in Seoul, with some interpreting his remarks as a veiled threat. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) <\/span>decried<\/span><\/a> Xing\u2019s remarks as a \u201cclear interference in domestic affairs and a serious diplomatic discourtesy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

On Friday, South Korea\u2019s foreign ministry also <\/span>summoned<\/span><\/a> Xing for his comments, and government officials, including First Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin and Foreign Minister Park Jin, have warned and rebuked the envoy for making \u201cunreasonable and provocative\u201d remarks.<\/span><\/p>\n

And after years of growing friction between South Korea and China, the incident has raised the potential for a larger diplomatic fallout that could have serious regional and global implications.<\/span><\/p>\n

NO MORE HEDGING<\/b><\/p>\n

Yoon has signaled a departure from his predecessor\u2019s foreign policy approach in many ways, particularly in regard to China. During Yoon\u2019s summit with U.S. President Joe Biden in April, the two leaders <\/span>reiterated<\/span><\/a> the importance of preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait as an essential element in security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beijing has always bristled at Washington\u2019s statements regarding Taiwan, referring to policy regarding the self-ruled island as an internal matter. Yoon\u2019s <\/span>statement<\/span><\/a> in support of Washington\u2019s view has stoked China\u2019s anger.<\/span><\/p>\n

The joint decision by the U.S. and the ROK to deploy U.S. strategic assets, such as American nuclear submarines near South Korea, has also angered Beijing. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning <\/span>stated<\/span><\/a> during a press briefing that the allies\u2019 decision to deploy a U.S. nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine around South Korean waters \u201churts the strategic interests of other countries\u201d and claimed that it was a \u201csource of tension\u201d for the region.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, the Yoon administration\u2019s recently released <\/span>National Security Strategy<\/span><\/a> also hints that the ROK will deprioritize China. The document describes Japan as a partner with which it shares universal values such as \u201cfreedom, democracy and human rights,\u201d but it refers to China as merely a \u201cgeographically and culturally close neighbor.\u201d The strategy even lists Japan over China.<\/span><\/p>\n

Xing has noted Seoul\u2019s policy shift, attributing South Korea\u2019s growing trade deficits to its policy choices rather than Chinese actions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin gives a speech on North Korean human rights, April 24, 2023 | Image: ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs via Instagram<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"\"\"LINES IN THE SAND<\/b><\/p>\n

Worsening relations between the ROK and China could extend beyond bilateral ties and diplomacy. Despite South Korea\u2019s <\/span>growing trade deficit<\/span><\/a> with China, the country remains South Korea\u2019s largest trade partner, and a diplomatic fallout could affect trade relations, investment and economic cooperation between the two countries.<\/span><\/p>\n

In recent weeks, Korean news media outlets have reported on the <\/span>sudden cancellation<\/span><\/a> of South Korean celebrities\u2019 appearances in China and <\/span>disruption of services<\/span><\/a> to South Korea\u2019s online platform Naver. These actions are reminiscent of the way in which China retaliated against South Korean businesses after Seoul decided to host a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile interceptor battery.<\/span><\/p>\n

The diplomatic row also has implications for regional security, in particular the North Korean issue. Foreign Minister Park Jin\u2019s <\/span>comment<\/span><\/a> about U.N. Security Council \u201cparalysis\u201d over North Korea \u2014 due to China and Russia using their veto to kill new sanctions resolutions \u2014 speaks to the geopolitical dynamics at play.<\/span><\/p>\n

More broadly, Yoon has sought to align South Korea more closely with the U.S. and its Western allies, and Seoul\u2019s <\/span>hardened stance<\/span><\/a> toward China may be viewed favorably by countries opposing Beijing\u2019s assertiveness in the region.<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, Japan, which is wrestling with China over <\/span>territorial disputes<\/span><\/a>, will likely see South Korea\u2019s stance as strengthening alignment with its own position.<\/span><\/p>\n

Seoul\u2019s shift could also influence other Southeast Asian countries, such as Vietnam and the Philippines, that find themselves at the crossroads of the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry. South Korea has recently become a <\/span>steady arms supplier<\/span><\/a> for the region traditionally dominated by Russia and China.<\/span><\/p>\n

But the North Korean nuclear threat heavily influences South Korea\u2019s diplomatic maneuvering. While Beijing has used its veto power to block new sanctions on North Korea, it has supported sanctions in the past, and Seoul may still need China\u2019s cooperation to rein in its northern neighbor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If the diplomatic fallout leads to decreased cooperation on North Korea issues, it could potentially jeopardize regional security.<\/span><\/p>\n

DOMESTIC FALLOUT<\/b><\/p>\n

Xing\u2019s statement also puts into sharp contrast the diverging foreign policies of South Korea\u2019s two main parties, as he made them during a meeting with South Korea\u2019s opposition leader Lee Jae-myung.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both Xing and Lee criticized Yoon\u2019s foreign policy, as well as Japan\u2019s decision to <\/span>discharge<\/span><\/a> the Fukushima plant\u2019s treated water, and this sends a clear message about which party Beijing would prefer to see in power \u2014 a move that has rankled South Korean government officials.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lee, an embattled leader facing <\/span>prosecutorial investigations<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>political scandals<\/span><\/a>, will likely see his approval numbers fall after his meeting with the Chinese envoy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> conducted last year by Palacky University\u2019s Sinophone Borderlands project revealed that ROK public opinion of China is among the most negative in the world: 81% of South Korean respondents expressed negative or very negative views.<\/span><\/p>\n

As South Koreans\u2019 perception of China has been negative for a number of years, politicians appearing to side with Beijing will likely see those negative perceptions apply to them, too.<\/span><\/p>\n

Edited by Bryan Betts<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Domestic Politics<\/span><\/a>Inter-Korean & Foreign Relations<\/span><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tensions between South Korea and China have bubbled to the surface this week, after China\u2019s ambassador to South Korea made controversial remarks about Seoul\u2019s efforts to bolster ties with Washington. In a meeting with Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung on Thursday, Ambassador Xing Haiming said, \u201cI can say definitely that those betting on China\u2019s defeat […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10407,"featured_media":2201407,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[27,28],"yoast_head":"\nA Chinese diplomat\u2019s controversial remarks stoke tensions with South Korea - KOREA PRO<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/06\/a-chinese-diplomats-controversial-remarks-stoke-tensions-with-south-korea\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Chinese diplomat\u2019s controversial remarks stoke tensions with South Korea - KOREA PRO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Tensions between South Korea and China have bubbled to the surface this week, after China\u2019s ambassador to South Korea made controversial remarks about Seoul\u2019s efforts to bolster ties with Washington. 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