Xi to host South Korea’s Lee in Beijing as China seeks to bolster regional ties

[ad_1] Chinese language President Xi Jinping will host South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on a state go to beginning on Sunday, signalling Beijing’s intent to strengthen ties with Seoul amid strained relations with Japan over Taiwan.

The go to marks the second assembly between Xi and Lee in simply two months, an unusually quick interval that alerts China’s eager curiosity in reinforcing ties with South Korea and boosting financial collaboration and tourism, analysts say.

Relations between China and Japan are at their chilliest level in years after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi advised in November {that a} hypothetical Chinese language assault on Taiwan may set off a navy response from Tokyo.

Xi’s invitation to Lee for a state go to from Sunday is a calculated transfer geared toward deepening bilateral relations, particularly forward of the South Korean chief’s deliberate go to to Japan, analysts say.

“China needs to stress South Korea’s significance barely greater than earlier than,” mentioned Kang Jun-young, professor of political economics at Hankuk College of Overseas Research.

“China seems to have strategically determined that it could be higher to have (Lee) go to China earlier than South Korea holds a summit with Japan once more,” he added.

The Lee administration has mentioned it goals to “restore” ties with Beijing, acknowledging that China is South Korea’s largest buying and selling accomplice.

The pivot follows strained relations underneath Lee’s predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, as a result of his nearer alignment with Washington and Tokyo, in addition to criticism of China’s dealing with of Taiwan.

Now, South Korea is attempting to take care of steadiness whereas leaning in direction of cooperation with China to keep away from being drawn into troubles that might threaten the Asian industrial powerhouse.

Lee mentioned in December that he wouldn't take sides within the diplomatic dispute between China and Japan.

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US alliance and North Korea Nonetheless, China and South Korea face complicated points as China challenges the US — South Korea’s main ally within the area — and as nuclear-armed North Korea stays unpredictable.

China is North Korea’s main ally and financial lifeline.

Shin Beom-chul, a former South Korean vice defence minister and senior analysis fellow on the Sejong Institute, mentioned Xi and Lee may talk about contentious points equivalent to efforts to modernise the South Korea–US alliance, which Beijing sees as geared toward curbing China’s dominance.

About 28,500 US troops are at present based mostly in South Korea to counter threats from North Korea.

US officers have signalled plans to make these forces extra versatile to answer different threats, together with defending Taiwan and checking China’s rising navy attain.

“Korea shouldn't be merely responding to threats on the peninsula,” Common Xavier Brunson, commander of US Forces Korea, mentioned at a discussion board on December 29. “Korea sits on the crossroads of broader regional dynamics that form the steadiness of energy throughout Northeast Asia,” he mentioned.

Lee’s agenda with Xi contains persuading China to facilitate dialogue with North Korea, consultants mentioned.

North Korea has dismissed Lee’s outreach, labelling him a “hypocrite” and a “confrontational maniac”.

In the meantime, China and North Korea have been looking for nearer coordination, with North Korean chief Kim Jong-un standing shoulder to shoulder with Xi in September at a significant navy parade.

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Tech, provide chains and Ok-pop Lee’s go to to Beijing is anticipated to deal with cooperation in areas together with crucial minerals, provide chains and inexperienced industries, his workplace has mentioned.

Almost half of South Korea’s provide of uncommon earth minerals — crucial to semiconductor manufacturing — comes from China. Beijing additionally accounts for a couple of third of South Korea’s annual chip exports, by far its largest market.

Final month, South Korean Business Minister Kim Jung-kwan and Chinese language Commerce Minister Wang Wentao agreed to work in direction of steady uncommon earth provides, South Korea’s business ministry mentioned.

The go to can also foster partnerships in synthetic intelligence and superior applied sciences, consultants mentioned.

China’s Huawei Applied sciences plans to roll out its Ascend 950 AI chips in South Korea subsequent yr, aiming to supply a substitute for Nvidia for Korean corporations, Huawei’s South Korea chief govt, Balian Wang, advised a press convention final month.

Wang mentioned discussions had been underneath approach with potential clients, with out naming them.

Huawei didn't reply to questions from Reuters about Wang’s feedback.

One other subject at stake is Beijing’s efficient ban on Ok-pop content material since across the 2017 deployment of a US-led missile defence system in South Korea.