China's FM meets South Korean officials, vows to work on COVID-19 and North Korea

China’s top diplomat on November 26 underlined the importance of bilateral ties on meeting with senior South Korea officials. While fear looms in Seoul of being pushed in the middle of the feud between the United States, its military ally and China, its biggest trading partner, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha.

After the talks, Wang reportedly said that his visit to Seoul during the COVID-19 pandemic indicates the gravity with which China values its ties with South Korea. Chinese Foreign Minister as per the Associated Press report called for stronger China-South Korea cooperation over anti-virus efforts, trade, and finding a peaceful solution to the standoff with neighbour North Korea. When Wang was asked if South Korea is being forced to pick a side between China and the United States, the Chinese Foreign Minister said, “America is not the only nation in the world.”

“There are 190 countries and each of them are sovereign nations,” he said. “They include China and South Korea, which are close neighbours and should visit each other more often, like relatives.”

The ministerial talks between Beijing and Seoul came as both nations are currently exploring the possibility of a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Soth Korea while the US is gearing up for a shift in administration with the incoming president Joe Biden. As per reports, Xi was expected to visit Seoul earlier this year but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The South Korean Foreign Minister held talks with his Chinese counterpart, who had arrived in Seoul after spending two days in Tokyo. Wang also met with South Korea President Moon Jae-in who acknowledged the bilateral milestones achieve din the fight against the global health crisis. 

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Moon urged Beijing to continue ‘constructive role’

As per reports, South Korean President urged China to continue its ‘constructive role’ in the global efforts to denuclearise the Korean peninsula and contribute to enhancing relations between both the Koreas. Meanwhile, Wang said that Seoul and Beijing have set a “role model” for international cooperation amid the COVID-19 pandemic and relayed a message by Xi that he considers his ‘friendship and trust’ with Mood as ‘very important’. 

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Image: Wang Yi and Monn Jae-in/ AP