By Lee Seong-hyon
China's foreign ministry stated that Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Seoul has achieved "rich results"(fengfu chengguo). China's most important achievement is that it has secured an opportunity to advance a China-led regional cooperation mechanism in Northeast Asia without U.S. involvement. This will stimulate intra-East Asian economic integration, centered on China.
Wang's visit also included a stop in Tokyo. Both South Korea and Japan agreed with China to cooperate in the coronavirus pandemic joint response. Moreover, Seoul and Tokyo also agreed with Beijing to deepen economic cooperation between them and among them, by pushing forward "the second phase" of the Korea-China FTA and Korea-China-Japan trilateral FTA. They also agreed to strengthen cooperation through the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), arguably the largest free trade agreement in history. The three countries are all signatories of the RCEP. The United States is not.
In short, China has cleverly used both Seoul and Tokyo's needs for cooperation on COVID-19 and the economy as the two keywords to make inroads to America's two allies in Northeast Asia, while the U.S. is not present. The sitting U.S. President Donald Trump is licking his sour wounds from his failed bid to win a second term, while Joe Biden, the winner, is yet to take office.
During Wang's visit, the Korean side mostly focused on bilateral issues between South Korea and China, including the establishment of the so-called "Korea-China Relations Future Development Committee." China had a bigger picture in mind. China's idea of Seoul-Beijing ties is within the framework of the trilateral Seoul-Beijing-Tokyo ties, which is, in turn, a key part of the framework of China's envisioned Northeast Asian strategy. This explains why the South Korean government's emphasis and the Chinese government's emphasis were different, regarding Wang's visit.
It is interesting to note what South Korea has not gained this time, in comparison to China's achievements. Given the recent trajectory of South Korea-China relations since Moon Jae-in's 2017 inauguration, there are three key issues for Korea. One, the THAAD issue. Two, China's economic retaliation against South Korea for the first issue, including its ban on Korean cultural products in China. Three, Xi Jinping's much-anticipated but yet-to-be-confirmed state visit to South Korea.
These three issues were expected to have been raised during the bilateral discussions between Wang and his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha. So far, none of them seem to have been resolved.
Moon sent out the invitation to Xi three years ago. Numerous Korean envoys delivered the message subsequently and yet there is still no confirmed date. China's foreign ministry released a total of six statements regarding Wang's visit, none of which mentioned Xi's possible visit to Seoul. In fact, a complete inspection of China's foreign ministry records over the past three years shows that the Chinese government has never used the phrase "Xi Jinping's visit to Korea." The fact of the matter is that South Korea was not considered as a priority according to Chinese official diplomatic records and this is a matter that warrants Seoul's deep consideration.
Regarding THAAD, during his visit to Korea in December last year, Wang criticized the U.S., claiming that "it was the U.S. that deployed THAAD in South Korea to target China." But this time he diverted responsibility to South Korea's involvement, saying, "I hope South Korea will deal with the sensitive issue appropriately."
Some in South Korea argue that it is desirable to minimize the weight of the THAAD issue on the agenda because the issue is complicated and there is no immediate solution for it. But this thinking reveals a lack of understanding of China's strategic culture. China doesn't forget. During his visit, Wang clearly said, resolving the THAAD issue is "the basis for cooperation" between South Korea and China.
Discussions hitherto disown the view that the nation enjoys a "love call" from both the U.S. and China. Their logic goes that South Korea's importance has risen in Washington as the incoming U.S. administration values South Korea in terms of restoring the alliance. The same view also states that China values South Korea as it wants to speed up progress in the Seoul-Beijing FTA and the trilateral Seoul-Tokyo-Beijing FTA.
China's goal is to keep in check the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a U.S.-spearheaded multilateral economic cooperation consortium that worries China.
The problem with South Korea's diplomacy is that it tends to see things from bilateral perspectives. South Korea should wise up.
Lee Seong-hyon , Ph.D. (sunnybbsfs@gmail.com) is director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the Sejong Institute.
_5dc9e7b8bc7eb.jpg/dims/resize/740/optimize) |
Wang's visit also included a stop in Tokyo. Both South Korea and Japan agreed with China to cooperate in the coronavirus pandemic joint response. Moreover, Seoul and Tokyo also agreed with Beijing to deepen economic cooperation between them and among them, by pushing forward "the second phase" of the Korea-China FTA and Korea-China-Japan trilateral FTA. They also agreed to strengthen cooperation through the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), arguably the largest free trade agreement in history. The three countries are all signatories of the RCEP. The United States is not.
In short, China has cleverly used both Seoul and Tokyo's needs for cooperation on COVID-19 and the economy as the two keywords to make inroads to America's two allies in Northeast Asia, while the U.S. is not present. The sitting U.S. President Donald Trump is licking his sour wounds from his failed bid to win a second term, while Joe Biden, the winner, is yet to take office.
During Wang's visit, the Korean side mostly focused on bilateral issues between South Korea and China, including the establishment of the so-called "Korea-China Relations Future Development Committee." China had a bigger picture in mind. China's idea of Seoul-Beijing ties is within the framework of the trilateral Seoul-Beijing-Tokyo ties, which is, in turn, a key part of the framework of China's envisioned Northeast Asian strategy. This explains why the South Korean government's emphasis and the Chinese government's emphasis were different, regarding Wang's visit.
It is interesting to note what South Korea has not gained this time, in comparison to China's achievements. Given the recent trajectory of South Korea-China relations since Moon Jae-in's 2017 inauguration, there are three key issues for Korea. One, the THAAD issue. Two, China's economic retaliation against South Korea for the first issue, including its ban on Korean cultural products in China. Three, Xi Jinping's much-anticipated but yet-to-be-confirmed state visit to South Korea.
These three issues were expected to have been raised during the bilateral discussions between Wang and his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha. So far, none of them seem to have been resolved.
Moon sent out the invitation to Xi three years ago. Numerous Korean envoys delivered the message subsequently and yet there is still no confirmed date. China's foreign ministry released a total of six statements regarding Wang's visit, none of which mentioned Xi's possible visit to Seoul. In fact, a complete inspection of China's foreign ministry records over the past three years shows that the Chinese government has never used the phrase "Xi Jinping's visit to Korea." The fact of the matter is that South Korea was not considered as a priority according to Chinese official diplomatic records and this is a matter that warrants Seoul's deep consideration.
Regarding THAAD, during his visit to Korea in December last year, Wang criticized the U.S., claiming that "it was the U.S. that deployed THAAD in South Korea to target China." But this time he diverted responsibility to South Korea's involvement, saying, "I hope South Korea will deal with the sensitive issue appropriately."
Some in South Korea argue that it is desirable to minimize the weight of the THAAD issue on the agenda because the issue is complicated and there is no immediate solution for it. But this thinking reveals a lack of understanding of China's strategic culture. China doesn't forget. During his visit, Wang clearly said, resolving the THAAD issue is "the basis for cooperation" between South Korea and China.
Discussions hitherto disown the view that the nation enjoys a "love call" from both the U.S. and China. Their logic goes that South Korea's importance has risen in Washington as the incoming U.S. administration values South Korea in terms of restoring the alliance. The same view also states that China values South Korea as it wants to speed up progress in the Seoul-Beijing FTA and the trilateral Seoul-Tokyo-Beijing FTA.
China's goal is to keep in check the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a U.S.-spearheaded multilateral economic cooperation consortium that worries China.
The problem with South Korea's diplomacy is that it tends to see things from bilateral perspectives. South Korea should wise up.
Lee Seong-hyon , Ph.D. (sunnybbsfs@gmail.com) is director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the Sejong Institute.
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