Wang Yi, head of China’s Department of Foreign Affairs, arrives in Korea on the 25th and 27th

First ‘face-to-face meeting of foreign ministers’ after the crown pandemic
Interested in discussing the schedule for President Xi Jinping’s visit to Korea
He planned to visit Japan earlier to adjust the bilateral agenda

[아시아경제 임철영 기자] Wang Yi, a member of the State Council of China and Minister of Foreign Affairs, will officially visit Korea from 25-27 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha.

According to the Foreign Ministry on the 20th, Foreign Minister Wang will visit Korea from the 25th and will hold face-to-face talks with Minister Kang Kyung-hwa. Foreign Minister Wang’s visit to Korea was only one year since last December, and the face-to-face talks are the first since the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) pandemic (a global pandemic).

In a meeting with Foreign Minister Wang, Minister Kang will exchange in-depth views on mutual interests such as the situation on the Korean Peninsula, regional and international affairs, including bilateral relations between Korea and China, such as cooperation in response to Corona 19 and high-level exchanges between the two countries. In particular, it is possible to discuss the timing of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Korea. The meeting of the Korean and Chinese foreign ministers is expected to take place on the 26th, the second day of their visit to Korea.

Minister Kang and Foreign Minister Wang have communicated from time to time, including 10 meetings of foreign ministers and three phone calls. An official from the Foreign Ministry explained, “This visit by Foreign Minister Wang will serve as an opportunity to develop relations between the two countries to a higher level by continuing communication between Korea and China of high rank, even in the situation of Corona 19 “.

Earlier, Yang Jietsu, a Chinese diplomat in charge of Chinese diplomacy, met with national security officer Seo Hoon in Busan in late August and agreed to close President Xi’s visit to Korea as soon as the Corona situation stabilizes. 19. Chinese Ambassador Xing Hai-ming to Korea reaffirmed his position, saying, “When Corona 19 stabilizes, we have designated Korea as the first country to visit. No changes” after meeting with reporters after giving a keynote address at a seminar organized by the Chinese Embassy on the 18th. However, with the Corona 19 situation in Korea becoming dire again, there are remarks that it will not be easy for President Xi to visit Korea this year.

Foreign Minister Wang is expected to coordinate Japan-related agendas before visiting Korea. On that day, NHK Broadcasting in Japan reported that the chief director would visit Japan from the 24th and meet with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. Foreign Minister Wang’s visit to Japan took place after the establishment of Suga’s cabinet in September, after Japan and China discussed the timing taking into account the political calendar.

NHK said that the Japanese government will confirm the importance of communication to stabilize China-Japan relations in a meeting with Foreign Minister Wang, and will also convey concerns about China’s maritime advance. Japan is strengthening its ties with the United States, Australia, India and the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to achieve a ‘free and open India-Pacific’ with China in mind, which is strengthening its advance towards the East China Sea and the South China Sea. It represents.

Reporter Lim Cheol-young [email protected]