South Korea’s leader welcomes Xi for their first meeting in decade
(MENAFN) Chinese President Xi Jinping met with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday for their first face-to-face talks in over a decade, taking center stage at the APEC summit while US President Donald Trump largely stayed in the background. Reports indicate that Xi’s visit followed his meeting with Canada’s prime minister, which helped restore bilateral relations.
Trump briefly attended the summit but returned home after announcing a pause in the US-China trade dispute, leaving Xi to emphasize China’s role as a stabilizing power in contrast to perceived disruptions caused by the United States.
At a formal ceremony, Lee welcomed Xi, noting, "As our two countries move from a vertical structure of economic cooperation to a more horizontal and mutually beneficial one, we must work together to build a relationship that delivers shared prosperity." Xi described the two nations as "important neighbours that cannot be moved and also partners that cannot be separated," adding that they should "respect each other's societal differences and development paths... [and] resolve contradictions and disagreements through friendly consultation."
Lee also encouraged China to assist South Korea in fostering renewed engagement with North Korea, referencing "recent high-level exchanges between China and North Korea" and stressing that these meetings "are helping to create conditions for renewed engagement with Pyongyang." He added, "I hope that South Korea and China will strengthen strategic communication... and work together to resume dialogue with the North."
Earlier in the summit, Lee passed the APEC hosting duties to Xi, who will lead next year’s event in Shenzhen. With Trump absent, Xi leveraged the opportunity to mend strained relations with other regional leaders.
On Friday, Xi met with Canada’s Prime Minister, marking the first such talks since 2017. He committed to bringing bilateral ties back on the "right track" and invited the Canadian leader to visit China, which the prime minister described as a "turning point" in relations. The meeting also helped address tensions caused by prior US-imposed tariffs, with trade discussions expected to resume when Washington is prepared.
Xi also held talks with Japan’s new premier, Sanae Takaichi, who expressed a desire for a "strategic and mutually beneficial relationship" with China, signaling warming relations in the region.
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