State visit is seen as a sign that China wants to strengthen relations with the country, at a time of tension with Japan
The president of China, , will receive the South Korean leader, (Democratic Party, center-right), on a state visit starting Sunday (Jan 4, 2026), signaling Beijing’s intention to strengthen ties with Seoul. The information is from the agency.
The visit marks the second meeting between Xi and Lee in just two months, demonstrating China’s great interest in strengthening ties with South Korea and boosting economic collaboration and tourism, analysts told Reuters. The meeting is also held at a time between Chinese and Japanese over Taiwan.
Relations between China and Japan hit their lowest point in years after Japan’s prime minister, (Liberal Democratic Party, right), suggested in November that Tokyo could take military action if Beijing attacked Taiwan.
Xi’s invitation to Lee for a state visit starting Sunday is a calculated maneuver aimed at strengthening bilateral relations before the South Korean leader’s visit to Japan, analysts told Reuters.
“China wants to emphasize the importance of South Korea a little more than before”said Kang Jun-young, a professor of political economy at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul. “China appears to have strategically decided that it would be better than [Lee] visit China before South Korea holds a new summit with Japan.”he added.
Wi Sung-lac, Lee’s main security adviser, said this Friday (Jan 2) that he hopes Lee and Xi’s meeting will open a “new chapter” in bilateral relations. He added that the 2 countries were preparing more than 10 agreements on economy, business and climate, although they were not working on a joint declaration.
The Lee government has said it intends “restore” ties with Beijing, stating that China is South Korea’s largest trading partner.
This change comes after tense relations between the two countries during Lee’s predecessor government, due to his closeness to Washington and Tokyo and his criticism of China’s handling of Taiwan.
Lee said in December that he would not choose sides in the diplomatic dispute between China and Japan.
Read more:
