Cho Hyun, Wang Yi hold 3-hour talks in Beijing ahead of Shenzhen APEC summit

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held a three-hour meeting and dinner with Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and China's foreign minister, in Beijing on Friday evening, ahead of next week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the Chinese city of Shenzhen. The two sides held in-depth discussions on bilateral relations and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

According to South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two ministers exchanged views on a wide range of issues of mutual interest during the meeting and dinner, which ran from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday. Cho said South Korea, as last year's APEC chair, hopes the upcoming Shenzhen summit will be a success, and called on both sides to prepare well so that the leaders' exchange in Shenzhen can serve as an important opportunity to further develop the two countries' strategic cooperative partnership.

Wang responded by noting that the positive momentum in Korea-China relations was carrying over from last year's Gyeongju summit to this year's Shenzhen meeting. Wang said China welcomes President Lee Jae-myung's visit to China on the sidelines of the Shenzhen APEC summit and pledged to ensure the visit proceeds successfully with full courtesy.

The two ministers assessed that the full restoration of Korea-China relations — achieved through reciprocal state visits by the two countries' leaders last year and this year — was yielding concrete results. They discussed ways to continue generating tangible outcomes that citizens of both countries can feel as the two sides approach the 35th anniversary of diplomatic normalization next year. In particular, the ministers agreed to strengthen the foundation for balanced and mutually beneficial economic cooperation by advancing service and investment negotiations under the Korea-China free trade agreement, while also stepping up efforts to expand people-to-people exchanges and foster goodwill between the two nations.

Sensitive issues also came up, including the Yellow Sea dispute and the protection of Korean nationals in China. Cho conveyed Seoul's principled position on the Yellow Sea and other matters, and urged the Chinese government to work to safeguard the safety and rights of Korean nationals in China. The two ministers agreed to manage such issues carefully so they do not become obstacles to the development of bilateral relations.

The ministers also exchanged views on regional affairs, including the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Cho emphasized that peace and stability on the peninsula serve the shared interests of both countries, outlined Seoul's efforts toward denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula, and urged China to play a constructive role — including encouraging North Korea to return to dialogue. Wang reaffirmed that China's policy on the Korean Peninsula remains unchanged and that China will continue to play a constructive role in promoting peace and stability there.