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Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councilor Wang Yi speaks with Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Qiu Guohong before meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the Blue House on Dec. 5.

Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi bluntly criticized the US in a public speech on Dec. 5, the second day of Wang’s first visit to South Korea since South Korea-China relations soured over Seoul’s decision to host the US’ Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system. Explaining that he had “come to improve strategic cooperation with South Korea,” Wang signaled China’s strategic aim of enlisting South Korea on its side in its intensifying competition for hegemony with the US.

In a keynote speech at a luncheon of South Korean “friends of China” at The Shilla hotel in Seoul’s Jangchung neighborhood that day, Wang said, “The Cold War mindset has fallen behind the times, and acts of hegemonism will never win popular support.”

At the same time, he stressed, “China’s revival is a historical inevitability. No one can stop it.” Claiming that there were “people using all kinds of methods to smear and deter China and deliberately speak ill of its development prospects,” he added, “While the reasons behind it include ideological prejudice and the arrogance of power politics, it will ultimately fail.”

“There is an abundance of unilateralism, hegemonism, and power logic, which is a threat to world peace and stability and a threat to our legitimate right to development. It is also destructive to the basic principles of international relations,” he also said.

His remarks were seen as targeting the US amid the two sides’ current competition in trade and technology and their confrontation over issues including the Hong Kong protests and China’s mass internment of Xinjiang Uyghurs. In public remarks the day before ahead of a meeting with South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha, Wang took issue with the US’ “America first” policy, naming “unilateralism” and “hegemonism” as the biggest threats to global stability and peace.

After his speech on Dec. 5, Wang was asked by reporters about South Korea-China relations and the THAAD issue.

“THAAD was created by the US to target China. It’s an issue created by the US, which has had an impact on South Korea-China relations,” he bluntly stated. Responding to a question about US “hegemonism,” he replied, “You can see it every day on the President’s [Donald Trump’s] Twitter.” When asked whether China was concerned about the possibility of the US deploying intermediate-range missiles in South Korea, he said, “You’ll need to ask the US about that.”

Wang explained that he was visiting South Korea “for important strategic communication,” suggesting that China’s aim is to improve the two sides’ currently estranged relationship and enlist South Korea on China’s side.

Stressing that China is a “long-term partner in cooperation that South Korea can consistently trust in,” he added, “The two countries’ interests are closely intertwined, and with bilateral trade crossing the US$300 billion mark last year, the two already represent a community of interests.”

Wang named three directions for development in South Korea-China relations: establishing a high level of mutual trust politically, achieving a high level of bilateral cooperation, and pursuing high-level multilateral cooperation. In particular, he emphasized cooperation with South Korea on the Belt and Road Initiative, which China is pursuing as a state policy.

“South Korea and China must lift the banners of multilateralism and free trade in response to protectionism, unilateralism, and hegemonism,” he declared.

The luncheon was attended by politicians, officials, scholars, attorneys, businessmen, and media figures, including former South Korean Prime Minister Lee Soo-sung, Democratic Party National Assembly Member Song Young-gil, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Yun Byung-se, and former South Korean Ambassador to China Shin Jung-seung. The Chinese Embassy also said invitations had been extended to executives from companies including Samsung, SK, LG, Lotte, and CJ. The event was originally scheduled to begin at noon, although Wang did not arrive until 12:37. The embassy explained that Wang was late because of a meeting with former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

By Park Min-hee, staff reporter

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