South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met with Chinese President Xi Jinping between January 4 and 7, 2026, during his first visit to China following his coming into office on June 4, 2025. The fact that the visit took place after a period of deterioration in bilateral relations during the term of former President Yoon Suk Yeol and was the first official visit to China by a South Korean leader since 2019, further increases the strategic importance of the meeting.
The prolonged absence of high-level reciprocal visits can be viewed as a concrete reflection of the fragility that has characterized China-South Korea relations over the past decade. This absence in bilateral relations stems from a structural disagreement that took shape after Seoul deployed the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in 2017, leading Beijing to respond with economic measures that negatively affected the overall course of relations. On the other hand, the softening that is observed in China-South Korea relations during Lee’s term indicates that the parties is seeking to manage the tensions that accumulated in the previous period through a manageable framework..
This trend toward normalziation makes the regional context of the visit even more meaningful. Indeed, these contacts are also significant in the context of China’s efforts to strengthen its regional position and consolidate its diplomatic support base at a time of growing tensions with Japan. It should be recalled that in November, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that a possible military intervention by China in Taiwan would constitute a threat to Japan’s national security and could cause a military response from Tokyo. Following these statements, Beijing implemented various economic measures against Japan. This led to a rapid decline in relations between the two Asian powers.
China’s intensification of high-level diplomatic contacts with South Korea during a period of growing political and strategic tensions with Japan is a reflection of Beijing’s strategy of preventing regional isolation and strengthening its relations with balancing actors through multilateral diplomacy. In this context, Seoul is a critical regional actor for China, both because of its security alliance with the US and its deep economic interdependence with China.
During the talks against this strategic background, Xi emphasized that China and South Korea share significant responsibilities in the context of maintaining regional peace and supporting global development and he reinforced this statement by referring to the shared historical experience of the Chinese and Koreans in the fight against Japan during World War II. Complementing this approach, Lee also pointed out that the two countries must make joint contributions to strengthening peace, which is a prerequisite for prosperity and sustainable growth. This joint emphasis indicates that the visit aimed to highlight areas of overlapping interests between South Korea and China through China’s discourse on regional stability and development, so that limiting the impact of Japan-centered tensions and creating a more inclusive diplomatic ground in East Asia.
From South Korea’s perspective, this meeting, held after the liberal Lee came into office, reflects the Lee administration’s tendency to redefine its foreign policy through a more balanced framework, unlike previous conservative governments. In this context, such contact reveals that Seoul is determined to maintain its existing alliances and partnerships with Washington and Tokyo, while simultaneously seeking a strategic opening to normalize relations with Beijing and revive cooperation mechanisms. Indeed, Lee stated that the purpose of his visitt to China was to take South Korea-China relations to a new level and develop them further by minimizing or eliminating past misunderstandings and contradictions.[i]
Looking at the background of this diplomatic orientation, it should not be overlooked that South Korea is highly dependent on China economically and commercially, even though it is in a security alliance with the US. In this context, economic relations continue to form the main pillar of relations between the two countries. Indeed, for more than twenty years, China has maintained its position as South Korea’s largest trading partner, while South Korea has emerged as one of China’s most important economic partners. According to data from the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, the bilateral trade volüme reached 298.9 billion US dollars during the January-November period of 2024.[ii]
Regarding the meetings held on the backdrop of strong economic interdependence, Xi and Lee signed total of 15 cooperation agreements in various fields, including technology, trade, transportation, and environmental protection which deepen the multidimensional element of bilateral relations. In addition, the South Korean Ministry of Trade announced that nine separate cooperation agreements had been signed between Chinese and South Korean companies, noting that leading players such as Alibaba International, Lenovo, and South Korean retail company Shinsegae were involved in these agreements.[iii]
Seoul’s need for Beijing is more comprehensive than being explained solely by economic dynamics and is also closely linked to strategic evaluations regarding the regional security architecture and the maintenance of stability on the Korean Peninsula. Lee administration views China’s cooperation as a critical element in discouraging North Korean leader Kim Jong Un from his nuclear weapons program. In this context, South Korean National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac emphasized that China has confirmed its determination to play a constructive and responsible role in promoting peace.[iv]
Beijing continues to be one of Pyongyang’s most important supporters, both economically and diplomatically and it makes China a key actor in terms of security dynamics on the Korean Peninsula. In addition, Xi aims to limit the possibility of direct conflict on the Korean Peninsula in line with a security approach that prioritizes stability, so that preventing the emergence of an unnecessary geopolitical crisis zone in China’s surrounding and maintaining the status quo.
As a natural extension of this approach, managing the North Korea issue in the current international climate, where China-US competition is deepening, necessitates cooperation among the major powers, despite being limited. In this context, it is necessary for Lee to assume a balancing role that facilitates communication between the parties, sets the agenda, and encourages cooperation. Indeed, it is assessed that Beijing’s primary security concern may be South Korea’s pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines rather than North Korea’s periodic missile tests. Therefore, the balancing role that Lee will assume carries a function that can contribute not only to the management of the North Korea issue but also to limiting the strategic sensitivities created by the competition between major powers.
Lee’s visit to Beijing is not only a reflection of the search for normalization in bilateral relations but also it stands out as a concrete manifestation of South Korea’s multidimensional foreign policy within the increasingly complex geopolitical balances in East Asia. While there is a diplomatic tension between China and Japan, a relative softening in South Korea-China relations appears that it began. In this context, Lee’s visit to Beijing is remarkable not only in terms of bilateral relations but also in terms of regional diplomatic balance. Indeed, while Lee is expected to visit Japan later this month to meet with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, his decision to begin his diplomatic contacts with China first stands out as a meaningful choice. This indicates that Lee will continue to maintain a sensitive diplomatic balance between Beijing and Tokyo.
As a result, the presence of high-level officials from the fields of security, economy, and technology in the summit delegations of both countries demonstrates that these contacts are not limited to symbolic diplomatic exchanges but also are shaped by a comprehensive strategic agenda. This situation shows that China-South Korea relations are focused not only on managing current tensions, but also on establishing long-term diplomatic stability and reconstructing functional cooperation mechanisms. Therefore, Lee’s visit to China can be seen as a cautious but strategic step for turning a new page in bilateral relations, as well as part of a broader foreign policy vision aiming to strenghten South Korea’s balancing and mediating role in the face of increasing great power competition in East Asia.
[i] “China and South Korea pledge to bolster ties as regional tensions rise”, AP News, https://apnews.com/article/china-south-korea-trade-lee-xi-venezuela-fe0a027934d91a678481d9b77b9ac0df, (Date Accessed: 06.01.2026).
[ii] “China-South Korea cooperation crucial for safeguarding openness, stability in Asia-Pacific”, China Daily, https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202601/04/WS6959a84da310d6866eb31bb2.html. (Date Accessed: 06.01.2026).
[iii] “South Korea’s Lee, in Beijing, says he seeks full restoration of China ties in 2026”, MSN, https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/koreas-lee-in-beijing-says-he-seeks-full-restoration-of-china-ties-in-2026/ar-AA1TCtcO?ocid=BingNewsSerp, (Date Accessed: 06.01.2026).
[iv] “China and South Korea pledge to bolster ties as regional tensions rise”, AP News, https://apnews.com/article/china-south-korea-trade-lee-xi-venezuela-fe0a027934d91a678481d9b77b9ac0df, (Date Accessed: 06.01.2026).
