Chinese President Xi Jinping visits S. Korea on Thursday

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit South Korea for two days from Thursday. The visit is a response to President Park Geun-hye’s visit to China in June last year. The Chinese leader will be accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan. It is the first time that China’s head of state visits South Korea before North Korea.

Xi will hold summit talks with President Park Thursday afternoon to discuss ways of cooperation over the North’s nuclear issue and political situation in Northeast Asia among other issues. The two leaders will also reportedly hold in-depth discussions over pending economic issues including the Korea-China Free Trade Agreement. The presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae said, “It is hoped that President Xi’s visit will pave a way for South Korea-China relations to move forward toward a more mature phase in their strategic cooperation.” After the summit talks, the South Korean government will host a dinner for Xi’s state visit.

Park is preparing a special luncheon for Xi and his wife on Friday. During Park’s visit to Beijing, the presidential couple of China hosted a special luncheon in a gesture of special hospitality for the South Korean president. Xi will deliver a special lecture at Seoul National University on Friday morning. When Park visited China last year, she mentioned "reunification of the two Koreas as bonanza" in her speech at Tsinghua University, Xi’s alma mater.

At the South Korea-China Business Forum on Friday, heads of major companies from the two neighboring countries will attend en masse to discuss ways for bilateral exchange and cooperation. Chinese First Lady Peng will reportedly visit royal palaces in Seoul on Friday to experience Korea’s history and culture.