Chinese Ambassador to Korea stresses “Korea-China relations should not be affected by third parties” — Seen as a message aimed at the U.S.

At a forum in Seoul, Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming emphasized that relations between Seoul and Beijing should remain free from external interference, underscoring the need for “strategic autonomy” in bilateral ties.

Speaking at the Korea-China Think Tank Dialogue Forum—co-hosted by the Institute for Global Strategy and Cooperation (IGSC) and the China Institute for Global Governance—Ambassador Xing stated, “China-Korea relations should neither target nor be influenced by any third party.”

He added, “Both countries must uphold firm strategic autonomy to resist external interference. Unilateral hegemony, protectionism, and decoupling harm the common interests of both China and Korea. We should jointly oppose these tendencies and safeguard international fairness and justice.” His remarks were widely interpreted as a veiled message aimed at curbing U.S. influence on Korea-China relations, as well as a criticism of the protectionist policies of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Xing also highlighted President Xi Jinping’s participation in the APEC Summit hosted by Korea, calling it “an important show of support for Korea’s hosting of the meeting.” He noted that during discussions on the Gyeongju Declaration, “China offered valuable support to Korea,” while hinting that both countries took positions differing from those of the United States on issues related to the WTO and IMF.

“If Korea had not been the host country, China might not have expressed such strong support,” he said. “We also believe Korea will support the upcoming APEC Summit to be held in Shenzhen next year.”

The ambassador went on to assert that “the U.S. tariff, trade, and technology wars failed to shake China,” claiming that “China has instead become stronger, more open, and more confident through independent development.” He urged Washington to “act responsibly as a major power and faithfully implement the consensus reached between the two leaders.”

Regarding recent anti-China demonstrations in Korea, Xing expressed concern, saying, “Far-right groups spreading malicious rumors and staging anti-China protests damage the friendship between our two nations and negatively affect Korea’s national image.” He called on the Korean government “to take appropriate measures to address the issue fundamentally.”

He also criticized recent remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who suggested Japan could exercise collective self-defense in the event of a Taiwan contingency, saying, “Such comments are unacceptable to China and have a negative impact on the development of China-Japan relations.”

At the same forum, Shen Weizhong, Vice President of the China Institute for Global Governance, pointed out that “Korea maintains a cautious stance on the Taiwan issue, while Japan’s position is quite different,” stressing that “the two countries’ attitudes are clearly distinct.”