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Foreign Minister Cho Hyun of South Korea (left) stands for a photo with Foreign Minister Wang Yi of China during their meeting in Beijing on Sept. 17, 2025. (pool photo/Yonhap)

The top diplomats of South Korea and China met in Beijing on Wednesday for their first talks since Lee Jae Myung took office as president, where they discussed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s anticipated visit to Korea this fall and peninsula issues. 

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun’s meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi took place on Wednesday afternoon at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. 

At the beginning of the meeting, Cho said that Lee had “confirmed the importance of the bilateral relationship and agreed to deepen and develop it during a telephone conversation with [Chinese] President Xi Jinping.”

“We look forward to South Korea-China relations developing in a more mature and in-depth way,” he continued.

Wang stressed the importance of South Korea and China becoming “true partners in strategic cooperation.” He also expressed his sympathies over the death of Lee Jae-seok — a Korea Coast Guard sergeant who died on Sept. 11 while rescuing an elderly Chinese national — and asked Cho to share his heartfelt condolences with the deceased’s family.

A key focus of Wednesday’s meeting was the potential for improvement in bilateral relations when Xi pays his first visit to South Korea in 11 years to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

Cho commented to Wang that it was “meaningful” that the APEC summit would be held in China next year after taking place in South Korea this year.

“We hope that this can be an opportunity for advancement in South Korea-China relations as President Xi comes to the APEC summit in Gyeongju and visits South Korea,” he also said.

At the time of his departure for China earlier that morning, Cho said, “My understanding is that President Xi will be visiting South Korea for the APEC summit.”

If Xi’s visit is finalized, Wang is expected to arrive in South Korea ahead of him sometime in mid-October.

Another important focus of discussion on Wednesday concerned Korean Peninsula issues, including North Korea’s nuclear program.

At the time of his departure, Cho said that Seoul had “consistently asked China to play a constructive role on North Korea issues.”

“Once again, we plan to request that it play whatever role it can in that direction,” he also said.

Earlier this month, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un showed off the increased solidarity among Pyongyang, Beijing, and Moscow with a visit to China to attend a military parade for the 80th Victory Day holiday.

With no reference to denuclearization appearing in Kim and Xi’s bilateral summit press release, some have speculated that Beijing might be moving toward accepting North Korea’s possession of nuclear capabilities.

By Park Min-hee, senior staff writer

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]