Lee, Xi pledge strategic coordination to strengthen relations

President Lee Jae-myung concluded his major diplomatic schedule at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit with a Korea-China summit on Nov. 1, following earlier meetings with the United States and Japan.

At the summit, President Lee Jae-myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the need to strengthen strategic communication. This type of communication is intended to coordinate on potential issues in advance and prevent conflicts from escalating. Both leaders agreed that it could help develop bilateral relations in a mutually beneficial and stable manner. The pragmatic diplomacy, aimed at maintaining South Korea’s alliance with the United States while avoiding confrontation with China, passed its first test.

Relations between South Korea and China have been on a downward trajectory since the 2016 THAAD dispute. During the summit, the two leaders agreed to institutionalize regular high-level communication channels and focused on tangible economic cooperation, including extending a 70 trillion won currency swap. They also agreed to address issues such as the Korean ban and Chinese construction in the West Sea through working-level consultations. These matters had previously stirred anti-China sentiment in South Korea and hindered cooperation. With a foundation for restoring bilateral ties now established, both sides will need to find practical solutions promptly.

South Korea’s plans for nuclear-powered submarines were discussed at the summit, a topic that could pose challenges for future relations. When President Xi expressed concern, President Lee explained that the submarines are defensive in nature. He said they are essential for deterring North Korea rather than participating in U.S. military pressure on China. Clearly conveying this rationale is crucial to prevent unnecessary conflicts similar to those that arose during the THAAD dispute.

President Lee also outlined Seoul’s approach to North Korean denuclearization and asked China to play a constructive role in resuming dialogue with Pyongyang. However, this point was omitted from China’s official post-summit statement. With China closely aligned with North Korea in countering the United States, Beijing likely could not ignore Pyongyang’s pre-summit warning that “denuclearization is a dream.” Even if North Korea-U.S. talks resume, a passive China could make it difficult for President Lee to advance his denuclearization agenda.

This situation underscores the challenges President Lee’s pragmatic diplomacy will face. China is South Korea’s largest trading partner and competes with the country in some sectors while cooperating in others. Nearly a decade of frosty relations can no longer be ignored. At the same time, as a U.S. ally, South Korea cannot avoid cooperating in efforts to counter China. In these circumstances, it is essential to maintain a flexible yet firm diplomatic stance. This approach allows South Korea to move beyond temporary, situational alignments and to engage both the United States and China with credibility and influence.