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China-South Korea relations
ChinaDiplomacy

South Korea’s Lee Jae-myung to visit China on economic and nuclear mission

The pragmatic president is seeking to balance relations with Beijing while keeping Washington onside

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The presidents of China and South Korea are expected to meet in Beijing next week. Photo: AFP
Fan ChenandAlyssa Chen
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will make a state visit to China next week as the two countries try to find a way through their intense economic rivalry to improve ties.

The trip will make Lee the first sitting South Korean president to travel to China since 2019, and will include a three-day stop in Beijing from Sunday, a presidential official in Seoul said on Tuesday.

Lee will meet President Xi Jinping in the Chinese capital before heading to Shanghai and then back to Seoul.

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The talks were expected to cover key issues such as supply chains, investment, the digital economy, environmental protection and ways to combat transnational crime, the South Korean presidential office said, adding that several agreements were also expected to be signed.

Seoul and Beijing are vying for global dominance in several industries, including semiconductors, electronics, cars, shipbuilding and batteries.

02:30

South Korean president warns inter-Korean relations in ‘very dangerous situation’

South Korean president warns inter-Korean relations in ‘very dangerous situation’
While the full agenda has not been disclosed, North Korea and its nuclear weapons are also expected to be discussed.
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