2024-08-07 23:36:42
Communication between Korea and China appears to be active as Chinese local government officials visit Korea one after another every two months.
Su Moujun, the secretary of Gansu Province, China, visited Korea on the 6th for a four-day visit. This visit is significant in that it is the first by a high-ranking official from Gansu Province.
On the 7th, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeong Byeong-won met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeong Byeong-won at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Seoul and said, “I hope to contribute to the promotion of Korea-China relations by expanding exchanges and cooperation between Korea and Gansu Province.”
Prior to Secretary Xi’s visit to Korea, Hao Feng, Party Secretary of Liaoning Province, visited Korea in April, and Xin Changxing, Party Secretary of Jiangsu Province, visited Korea in June to explore ways for closer cooperation between local governments in Korea and China.
As a large number of Korean companies have advanced into Gansu, Liaoning, and Jiangsu provinces, the series of communications are analyzed to have had a positive effect on economic cooperation between Korea and China, such as resolving difficulties faced by our companies.
The ‘relay visits’ by local government officials are in line with the momentum of high-level communication between Korea and China around the time of the Korea-China-Japan summit in May. On the occasion of the Korea-China-Japan summit, President Yoon Seok-yeol held a bilateral meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and before that, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol visited China for the first time since taking office and held a Korea-China foreign ministers’ meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
In June, the ‘2+2′ format ROK-China Diplomatic Security Dialogue was held, attended by the foreign and defense ministries of the two countries, which were recently upgraded to the vice-ministerial level, and the 10th ROK-China Vice-Ministerial Strategic Dialogue was also held last month. In addition, on the 26th of last month, Minister Cho and Vice Minister Wang held a bilateral meeting again on the occasion of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-related foreign ministers’ meeting.
Diplomatic circles are analyzing that this momentum for communication between Korea and China is likely to lead to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit to be held in Korea in November next year.
The last time Xi Jinping visited Korea was in July 2014. His return visit is considered one of the long-standing tasks between Korea and China. Former President Moon Jae-in visited China twice during his term, but Xi Jinping never visited Korea.
Meanwhile, the series of progress in communication between South Korea and China stands in sharp contrast to the recent estranged relationship between North Korea and China.
With President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea in June, the first in 24 years, North Korea and Russia are showing off their stronger bilateral relationship than ever before. In particular, they have effectively established a quasi-military alliance by signing the “Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” which includes the revival of the “automatic military intervention in case of emergency.”
Since then, North Korea and Russia have been actively pursuing military, economic, and personnel exchanges, speeding up the implementation of follow-up measures to the summit.
However, there is a subtle chill between North Korea and China. Recently, Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun unusually did not attend various events held by North Korea to commemorate the 71st anniversary of the Korean War Armistice Agreement. In addition, there are ongoing signs of abnormality, such as the issue of North Korean workers who were dispatched to China returning home and the removal of the ‘Xi Jinping-Kim Jong-un Footprints’ plaque installed in Dalian City.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains its position that the observation of these abnormal currents is “speculation” and that “the blood alliance between North Korea and China is unchanging,” but it is true that the actual situations that are occurring are completely different from China’s official position.
“There is room to view the close relationship between North Korea and Russia as being linked to China’s weakening influence over North Korea,” said a China expert who requested anonymity. “It can be seen as China indirectly expressing its discomfort.”
(Seoul = News 1)
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2024-08-07 23:36:42