China conflict won’t benefit South Korea, Lee Jae Myung says ahead of state visit
South Korean leader, who is expected to meet Xi Jinping on Monday, also tells CCTV interview he respects one-China principle
In an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Friday, Lee called for more frequent leader-level dialogues – at least annually – to explore mutually beneficial opportunities amid an increasingly complex global environment.
His four-day trip to China, set to begin on Sunday, will be the first by a sitting South Korean president since 2019.
According to Seoul, he is expected to meet President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday afternoon, their second summit in as many months.
Lee told CCTV that the purpose of this China trip was to “minimise or eliminate, to the greatest extent possible, the misunderstandings and contradictions” that had posed obstacles to the development of bilateral relations, and to “elevate and advance the ties to a new stage” so the two countries could mutually support each other.