China and South Korea forge closer cooperation - Asia’s power map shifting
US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping (Photo: Getty Images)
China and South Korea leaders will hold their first secret talks in 11 years, restoring bilateral dialogue, according to Bloomberg.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with South Korea’s new President Lee Jae-min on Saturday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea. This is the first meeting between the two leaders since Lee took office in June 2025 and Xi’s first visit to Seoul in 11 years.
The talks come amid strengthened ties between Seoul and the United States: recently, South Korea and Washington finalized a major trade and investment deal, which includes billions of dollars in annual investments by Korean companies into the US economy. At the same time, South Korea’s economic and trade relations with China have weakened, placing Seoul in a difficult position amid the US-China confrontation.
Special attention during Lee Jae-min’s meeting will focus on North Korea, as China remains Pyongyang’s main ally, providing the country with economic support while the US and its partners maintain sanctions. In previous talks, Xi met with leaders from Russia and North Korea, underscoring Beijing’s strategic importance for the region.
The economic situation also complicates South Korea’s balancing act: the country has a growing trade surplus with the US but a persistent deficit in trade with China. Meanwhile, Chinese sanctions against the South Korean company Hanwha Ocean over its plans to invest in the US maritime industry highlight the delicate line between economic interests and geopolitical risks.
Lee Jae Myung seeks to maintain equilibrium in relations between the two major powers while ensuring South Korea’s economic and defense security. His talks with Xi Jinping could be an important step in restoring economic and political dialogue between Seoul and Beijing after years of tension and trade conflicts.
China believes that trade and economic cooperation should remain the foundation of its relations with the US, emphasizing the importance of joint efforts by Beijing and Washington to address global challenges and strengthen stability worldwide.
