South Korea and China pledge deeper ties ahead of APEC summit

Ministers discuss regional peace

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told Wang Yi that peace on the Korean Peninsula serves both nations interests. The two officials held talks in Beijing while Cho concluded his two-day visit to China on Saturday. They agreed to strengthen strategic communication to improve the situation on the peninsula. Both ministers noted that momentum for restoring relations continues between Seoul and Beijing.

Trade and exchange figures

Bilateral people-to-people exchanges are expected to exceed 10 million this year according to South Korean reports. Trade between the two countries is rising by more than 40 percent during this period. Wang Yi expressed confidence that the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Shenzhen will inject fresh momentum into ties. The summit runs from November 18 to 19 and brings together major world leaders.

Cooperation on new sectors

Wang Yi stated that China wants to expand cooperation in traditional industries and emerging sectors including artificial intelligence. South Korea should neither fear China rise nor underestimate its capabilities according to Foreign Minister Cho Hyun. President Lee Jae Myung will attend the summit and join a dinner hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to the White House, US President Donald Trump will hold meetings with Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin next Thursday.