Bring SK ties back on track: Xi
China will not back down on THAAD: expert
Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday that China would like to join South Korea in bringing bilateral ties back to the track of healthy development.
Xi made the remarks during his meeting with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae- in in Berlin before his journey to Hamburg for the G20 summit.
This was the first meeting between the heads of the two countries since Moon took office in early May.
China and South Korea, two geographically close nations, share interconnected cultures and notable complementary advantages, Xi said. He stressed that the two sides have seen great development in their relations since the establishment of diplo- matic ties 25 years ago, which has benefited the two peoples greatly and contributed to regional peace, stability and prosperity.
Bilateral ties between the two countries plunged in the past year due to the deployment of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense ( THAAD) anti- missile system in South Korea. China is concerned that the system will undermine China’s military deterrence, although South Korea insists the
system is aimed at safeguarding the country from North Korean missiles.
North Korea launched what it said was an intercontinental ballistic missile on Tuesday, which observers said further complicates the Korean Peninsula situation.
Deployment of the antimissile system in South Korea incurred the opposition of the Chinese public, resulting in a plunge in economic cooperation and cultural exchanges between the two countries.
Moon had said that the hasty deployment of THAAD pushed by the US and the South Korean military failed to follow legitimate procedures. Since Moon took office as president, the deployment has slowed down, giving hope to the recovery of ties with China.
China is committed to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, promoting peace and stability there, and settling the problem through dialogue and consultations, Xi said.
Xi urged Seoul to address China’s major concerns and work together to handle relevant issues properly so as to clear obstacles for the improvement of bilateral ties.
China hopes both sides can use the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to reflect on the historical lessons of the past and experiences with South Korea, and work to put bilateral relations back on the right track of healthy and stable development, Xi said during the meeting.
Xi also expressed appreciation to Moon for his decision to send a delegation to join the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in May, and sent a special envoy to deliver a hand- written letter from Moon to express his positive wish to improve bilateral ties and deal with sensitive issues.
Moon said South Korea attaches great importance to its relationship with China, and Seoul appreciates a Chinese company’s assistance in salvaging the sunken South Korean ferry Sewol.
Moon said he fully understands China’s concerns and is willing to deepen communication with China.
Laying a foundation
“The meeting lays a foundation for the recovery of the Sino-South Korean relationship, but it doesn’t mean the problem has been solved, so we should remain cautious,” Da Zhigang, director of the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of Northeast Asian Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday.
“Currently, there are some signs of recovery in economic and cultural areas between China and South Korea, but this is just a positive response from China to Moon’s positive will and attitude. Although Moon used an ‘ environmental impact assessment’ to slow down the deployment of THAAD, China will not back down on its tough stance of demanding that Seoul completely withdraw THAAD. The problem still exists,” Da said.
Given that the uncertainty over North Korea might reactivate the deployment of THAAD, we can only be cautiously optimistic on China-South Korean ties in the future, Da said.
In Hamburg, Xi is also expected to meet with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines, with the situation in the Korean Peninsula topping their discussions.