Chinese Ambassador urges progress in Sino-Korean relations, calls for resolve to block external interference

Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to South Korea—the first in 11 years—Ambassador Dai Bing emphasized a pivotal turning point in Sino-Korean relations.

In an op-ed published on October 29 in the People’s Daily titled “From the Heart, Let’s Build a Beautiful Future for China-Korea Relations Together”, Dai stated, “Sino-Korean relations have reached a crucial juncture: if they do not move forward, they risk regression,” noting that recent years have seen rapid and complex shifts in the international landscape.

President Xi is scheduled to visit South Korea from the 30th for a three-day, two-night trip during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, marking his first official visit since 2014 during the presidency of Park Geun-hye.

Dai stressed, “Both countries must move forward with a shared commitment in line with the times, and the continuous deepening of Sino-Korean relations aligns with the era’s trends.” He added, “We must revisit and steadfastly uphold the original intentions from the time of diplomatic establishment,” suggesting that Sino-Korean relations have entered a new historical starting point.

While acknowledging that competition has intensified in certain industries, Dai emphasized that “the overall strategic cooperation and mutual benefits remain unchanged.” He highlighted that in the context of a new technological revolution reshaping global industries, China and South Korea should collaborate in emerging sectors such as AI, green and low-carbon technology, advanced manufacturing, and biopharmaceuticals to achieve high-level win-win outcomes.

Referring to China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), Dai noted that “China is pursuing modernization through high-quality development, which will provide more opportunities for the prosperity of both Sino-Korean relations and the Asia-Pacific region.”

Importantly, he stressed the “need for a resolve to exclude interference from third countries,” stating that “the fundamental driving force of Sino-Korean relations is the shared interests of both countries, and the strategic partnership is not directed at any specific country nor constrained by external pressures.” He added that “mutual respect for core interests and major concerns, along with firm strategic autonomy, is essential to prevent outside interference.”

Dai also called for joint efforts by China and South Korea to oppose unilateralism and protectionism, prevent unilateral pressure and decoupling, and safeguard the free trade system and industrial supply chain stability.

The online edition of the People’s Daily highlighted six key terms for President Xi’s upcoming visit: original intention, direction, win-win, friendship, cooperation, and amity, also referencing Xi’s statement at last November’s APEC summit in San Francisco that “we must firmly uphold APEC’s original intentions.”