South Korea-China relations at crossroads

In this Aug. 24, 1992, file photo, then-South Korean Foreign Minister Lee Sang-ok, left, shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Qian Qichen after signing an agreement on the two countries' official diplomatic ties in Beijing. Korea Times file

Seoul, Beijing urged to reset bilateral ties by separating politics from economic partnership

By Nam Hyun-woo

South Korea and China will celebrate the 30th anniversary of their diplomatic ties today, highlighting the reciprocal benefits that the two countries have enjoyed. On Wednesday evening, Foreign Minister Park Jin and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi are expected to read out messages from President Yoon Suk-yeol and President Xi Jinping in their respective capitals to mark the event.

However, their relations for the next 30 years will not likely stay the same due to the geopolitical upheaval surrounding the two countries. Currently, the relations between the two neighboring countries are trickier than ever, as Seoul has tipped the balance of its diplomacy toward the U.S. over China amid the U.S.' efforts to strengthen its influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Experts say Seoul should seek ways to redefine its relations with Beijing reflecting the recent changes in the two countries' circumstances in the international community, calling especially for reviving the value of reciprocity and separating politics from economic partnership.

"Though the two countries are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their diplomatic ties, trade, supply chain cooperation and many other aspects that brought prosperity to the bilateral relations are now taking on challenges," said Lee Dong-gyu, a research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.

"Regardless of South Korea's intention to stay close to China, the current environment brings structural difficulties in bilateral ties. It is the time for the two countries to build new relations."

After forming their official diplomatic ties on Aug. 24, 1992, bilateral relations have served as the key catalyst for each other's economic growth. The two countries' trade amounted to $301.5 billion last year, up 47 times from $6.4 billion in 1992, and Seoul's exports to Beijing during the same period skyrocketed by 61 times to $162.91 billion from 2.65 billion, according to data from the Korea International Trade Association.

However, the trade partnership has been affected by economic, cultural and political friction. In 2000, South Korea increased an import duty on Chinese garlic to protect domestic farmers and China responded by banning the import of mobile phones and polyethylene from South Korea.

In 2002, China launched the Northeast Project of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, which attempted to include Korea's ancient northern kingdoms as part of China's history, triggering negative sentiments in many South Koreans toward China.

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) U.S. missile shield is seen deployed in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in this July 2017 photo. Korea Times file

In 2017, China launched an economic retaliation against South Korea for its decision to deploy a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile battery on its soil, which is still affecting trade between the two countries.

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This coupled with the ongoing U.S.-China rivalry is presenting unprecedented uncertainties for both South Korean and Chinese companies seeking to do business in each other's countries. Seoul's Yoon Suk-yeol administration has strengthened the alliance with the U.S. as its diplomatic principle and is stressing a coalition with countries sharing similar values. Despite South Korea's explanation that it is not aimed at excluding a certain country, China views this as a hard-tilt movement toward U.S. campaigns to counter China.

"After forming diplomatic ties, the two countries had a strong intention to expand their cooperation until the 2000s, when they experienced frictions over garlic and history," said Kim Han-kwon, a visiting professor at the Center for Chinese Studies of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA). "At the time, it was seen as a mediation period because the two countries attempted to resolve the disputes."

Kim said that ever since THAAD became an issue, however, the two countries are now in a "conflict period" in which they are increasing confrontational policies, rather than seeking a resolution.

"Along with the world's current bloc realignment, the accumulating bilateral conflicts are calling for the two countries to redefine their relations for the next 30 years," Kim said.

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, left, shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during their meeting at a hotel in Qingdao, Aug. 9. Courtesy of South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

New relations for next 30 years

During a July 21 forum participated by diplomatic scholars of South Korea and China, Korea University professor Nam Sung-wook proposed three key principles in redefining bilateral relations for the next 30 years ― mutual respect, separation of politics and economy and reciprocal benefits.

"When politics are mixed up with the economy, both are scrambled to result in bad outcomes," Nam said. "Political matters should be addressed within the boundary of politics and economic matters should be handled with market logic. If the two countries have different ideas on certain economic or security matters, they should respect each other's stance on that."

Such a view echoes previous remarks of the two countries' foreign ministers.

During a conversation with the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations on April 21 last year, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said "democracy is not Coca-Cola," which tastes the same across the world. He said the difference between the U.S. and China "in social systems does not prevent the two countries from seeking common ground while shelving differences, pursuing win-win cooperation and peaceful coexistence."

During a meeting between Wang and his South Korean counterpart Park Jin on Aug. 9, Park cited a proverb by Confucius on the value of seeking harmony while not being conformable, and Seoul will seek to expand cooperation with China based on this spirit.

KNDA professor Kim also raised a similar view that the two sides "should admit that they may have differences in the values they pursue and social political systems," and search for areas of cooperation based on this understanding.

"There is a necessity for Seoul to reaffirm its basic diplomatic frame that it will seek for developments in South Korea-China relations based on its alliance with the U.S.," Kim said. "Even in the process of strengthening its alliance with the U.S., South Korea should have a political commitment to exploring developments in its relations with China."

Asan Institute's Lee said the Yoon government should emphasize that its value-oriented diplomatic direction is aimed at fulfilling South Korea's role in the global community, not containing China.

"South Korea's joining of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the so-called 'Chip 4' meeting are about expanding the country's role outside the Northeast Asian region, rather than excluding China from those groups," Lee said.