Overview
- At state-visit talks in Gyeongju, Lee Jae Myung urged Xi Jinping to help revive negotiations with North Korea, and Xi said he would continue efforts to support peace and stability on the peninsula.
- Xi outlined a four-point proposal to deepen ties, calling for stronger strategic communication, faster phase-two talks on the China–ROK FTA, expanded cooperation in emerging industries, and closer coordination in multilateral fora.
- The leaders jointly witnessed exchanges of cooperation documents spanning trade, finance, agriculture, law enforcement, and science and technology.
- North Korea quickly dismissed Seoul’s denuclearization push, with Vice Foreign Minister Pak Myong Ho deriding it as a “daydream.”
- Analysts caution that Seoul’s effort to build closer economic links with China while maintaining its U.S. alliance could invite pressure, as key details on trade terms and security verification still require follow-up negotiations.