![Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese foreign minister [EPA]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/08/20/rcv.YNA.20260728.PEP20260728090001009_P1.jpg)
South Korea and China used a foreign ministers' meeting to discuss key issues including China's role on the Korean Peninsula and ways to advance bilateral ties.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday that Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held four hours of talks and a dinner with Wang Yi — a member of the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and Chinese foreign minister, who is on an official visit to South Korea — exchanging views on bilateral relations, the Korean Peninsula and other shared concerns.
According to the ministry, Wang said South Korea-China relations are on a stable trajectory of improvement and development. He said Beijing is actively considering holding a leaders' summit if President Lee Jae Myung attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, in November, and called on both sides to work toward that goal.
Wang also invited Cho to visit China. Cho expressed gratitude and said the two sides should consult through diplomatic channels on a mutually convenient time for the visit.
On the Korean Peninsula, Wang reaffirmed China's longstanding position that it would continue to play a constructive role in promoting peace and stability, though he struck a cautious tone on directly mediating talks between the leaders of North Korea and the United States.
Speaking to reporters as he moved from the meeting to the dinner venue, Wang said on the question of whether China might broker a North Korea-US summit that it was "for North Korea and the United States to decide," adding that "the United States in particular must change its long-held hostile policy toward North Korea."
The remarks reaffirmed China's established stance of keeping its distance from direct involvement in North Korea-US negotiations while calling on Washington to show a policy shift first in order to bring Pyongyang back to dialogue.
Wang also offered a positive assessment of the current state of South Korea-China relations. "Since the launch of the Lee Jae Myung government, the relationship has entered a trajectory of improvement and development, which is in the interests of both countries and in line with the wishes of both peoples," he said.
He added that "China is the world's largest market today, and South Korea is right next to us," saying that strengthening economic cooperation with China would also benefit South Korea's development.
On the perception within the Donald Trump administration that the Lee government is "pro-China," Wang said: "The Lee Jae Myung government is a government that safeguards South Korea's interests, and cooperating amicably with China is in South Korea's national interest."
The two ministers, meeting for the first time in 11 months since their talks in Beijing last September, held in-depth discussions on bilateral relations, the situation on the Korean Peninsula, and regional and international issues of mutual concern.
In his opening remarks, Cho said he hoped "the achievements in restoring South Korea-China relations can contribute to peace and stability in the region, including on the Korean Peninsula." He added that "as President Lee Jae Myung recently laid out a blueprint for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula in his Liberation Day address, the South Korean government will work toward denuclearization and peace on the peninsula."
Cho also said he looked forward to "frank and in-depth dialogue" with Wang on Thursday, based on the shared interest of both countries in peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
Cho also expressed condolences over the death of former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that "Wang, in response to questions, shared his views on the situation on the Korean Peninsula" and "explained China's consistent principled position."
According to the Chinese ministry, Wang said: "China, as a responsible major power, maintains continuity and stability in its foreign policy and is committed to playing a constructive role in promoting peace and stability on the peninsula. China is optimistic that South Korea and North Korea will gradually move toward peaceful coexistence and ultimately achieve long-term and lasting stability on the peninsula."
On the Korean Peninsula situation, Cho was expected to have briefed Wang on President Lee's proposal for multilateral discussions on ending the war and to have asked China to play a constructive role in promoting peninsula peace and stability and in multilateral dialogue with North Korea.
China's potential role is drawing particular attention given that Trump has been sending repeated messages to North Korea calling for dialogue, and foreign media have reported that a North Korea-US summit may be pursued on the sidelines of the Shenzhen APEC summit — with Beijing seen as holding considerable influence over Pyongyang.
With Xi Jinping expected to visit the United States in September, Cho was also seen as having asked Wang to ensure that Korean Peninsula issues are discussed positively when the two presidents meet.
The meeting also served as an opportunity to review follow-up progress from the previous South Korea-China summit and to preview the likely agenda for a potential next summit on the sidelines of the Shenzhen APEC gathering.
With next year marking the 35th anniversary of South Korea-China diplomatic ties, the talks were expected to have focused heavily on accelerating the improvement and strengthening of the bilateral relationship, which the two sides have declared to be in "full restoration."
South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the two ministers "agreed to mark the 35th anniversary of South Korea-China diplomatic normalization well next year and use it as a springboard for a leap forward in bilateral relations," and pledged to strengthen cooperation in areas including South Korea-China free trade agreement service and investment negotiations, supply chain stabilization, the introduction of giant pandas, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and the management and preservation of independence movement historic sites in China.
Cho conveyed South Korea's principled position on issues including the West Sea and stressed the importance of mutual respect for each side's key concerns, while also asking the Chinese government to protect the safety and rights of South Korean nationals in China, the ministry said.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said both ministers expressed their commitment to maintaining high-level exchanges and marking the 35th anniversary of diplomatic normalization well.
According to the Chinese ministry, Cho said the two sides should deepen exchanges and cooperation in areas including the economy and trade, advanced technology, AI and youth, enhance goodwill between the two peoples, strengthen communication and coordination on multilateral affairs, and advance the South Korea-China strategic cooperative partnership to a higher level.
Wang said the two sides should "strengthen coordination on international and regional affairs to safeguard regional peace and stability and promote the building of a more just and reasonable global governance system."
Wang also said, according to the Chinese ministry, that "China and South Korea are permanent friendly neighbors and enduring cooperative partners" and should "exercise strategic vision, keep in mind the long-term development of both countries and the fundamental interests of both peoples, and work to ensure the healthy, stable and sustained development of bilateral relations."
He added that he hoped "South Korea will proceed from its own fundamental interests and develop its external relations in an independent manner, pursuing both without conflict."
The meeting had been scheduled for 6 p.m., but Wang arrived at the ministry building at around 6:16 p.m.
While some delay in diplomatic schedules is not uncommon, Wang has previously drawn criticism for arriving late to South Korea-China foreign ministers' meetings and other major diplomatic events.
After the talks, the two ministers moved to a separate venue to continue their conversation over dinner.
This is Wang's first solo visit to South Korea in about five years since September 2021. On Thursday, Wang is scheduled to call on President Lee Jae Myung at Cheong Wa Dae and hold talks and a luncheon with National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac.
mokiya@heraldcorp.com
