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| President Yoon Suk-yeol and Chinese President Xi Jinping / Korea Times file |
South Korea wants Chinese president to visit Seoul
By Kang Seung-woo
The location of a possible summit between President Yoon Suk-yeol and Chinese President Xi Jinping has emerged as an issue again after the South Korean leader once again expressed his hopes, Wednesday, to hold a face-to-face meeting with his Chinese counterpart.
Yoon said he was looking forward to seeing Xi in person to discuss ways to develop relations between South Korea and China for the next 30 years on the occasions of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.
This is not the first time that the South Korean leader expressed his hopes of meeting Xi.
When Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan conveyed an invitation from Xi for Yoon to visit China at a mutually convenient time during his attendance at Yoon's inauguration ceremony, May 10, the South Korean president made a counter offer, saying he hopes to see the Chinese president in Seoul.
In addition, Foreign Minister Park Jin also expected Xi to visit Korea at a mutually convenient time during his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in August.
The prospect of a bilateral summit has hinged on the timing and location. China is South Korea's largest trading partner, while Seoul is Beijing's fourth-largest export destination.
"Although it is highly likely that Yoon may meet Xi on the sidelines of the G20 summit in November in Indonesia, the Yoon administration will seek to hold a formal summit with China beforehand. In addition, based on his congratulatory message on the occasion of the anniversary, it meant that the Chinese president should come here," said Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University.
Former President Moon Jae-in held a summit with Xi twice during his tenure, both of which took place in China, and it is time for the Chinese leader to make a reciprocal visit to South Korea, according to diplomatic practice. Xi last visited South Korea in July 2014.
"Given that the Yoon administration pursues the principle of reciprocity and Xi did not travel here over the past eight years, the new South Korean government is expected to stick to the idea that Xi should make a visit to South Korea," Park added.
Over the past decade, the South Korean presidents traveled to China five times, but the Chinese president came here only once.
In addition, the Yoon administration has vowed to make a shift in diplomacy and place the alignment with Washington at the center of his foreign policy priorities amid the intensifying U.S.-Sino rivalry, a decision that keeps the Chinese side on its toes and has made it step up efforts to hold South Korea in check.
"The Chinese government may also feel the need to hold a summit with Yoon to have Seoul distance itself from Washington because it perceives South Korea as the weakest link in the U.S. anti-China alliance network and believes that the country can exert influence on South Korea behind its status as No. 1 trading partner," Park said.
However, as the strategic competition is heating up between the U.S. and China, Beijing should take care of North Korea more than South Korea, raising speculation that should Xi decide to visit Seoul, he may come here after visiting Pyongyang, Park noted.
Even if Xi visits Seoul, the trip could put the Yoon administration in a quandary as China may want something from South Korea in return amid the hegemonic rivalry.
"We would not entirely be in a comfortable situation even if a summit is set up as there will be something that China wants and we should strike a balance against the U.S.-China conflict," Park said.
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