Escalation of US-China Conflict Over 'Consulate Closures'... Government Holds First 'Diplomatic Strategy Adjustment Plenary Meeting' This Year

Exploring Diplomatic Response Strategies Amid Rapid Changes in the International Situation

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha is answering reporters' questions at a press conference held at the Government Seoul Office Annex on the morning of the 2nd. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] As tensions between the United States and China continue to escalate, a government-wide 'Diplomatic Strategy Adjustment Meeting' will be held to actively respond to diplomatic issues arising from the rapidly changing international situation.

On the 28th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that at 2:30 PM on the same day, the 3rd Diplomatic Strategy Adjustment plenary meeting will be held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Doryeom-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, chaired by Minister Kang Kyung-wha, to explore measures to respond to the US-China conflict situation. Previously, the government held an integrated subcommittee meeting on May 28 as a preparatory step to assess the situation caused by the US-China conflict and discuss response strategies.

The Diplomatic Strategy Adjustment Meeting was launched in July last year to prepare foreign strategies that proactively respond to rapidly changing international situations such as Japan's export restrictions and the US-China trade conflict. This plenary meeting is the first to be held this year, about seven months after the first meeting in July last year and the second meeting in December.

The 3rd meeting is expected to be attended by officials from 10 ministries including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Ministry of Unification, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Health and Welfare, as well as about 50 private experts.

The meeting is expected to discuss ways to seek South Korea's response strategy amid the recently escalating US-China conflict situation. The government plans to closely monitor the US-China conflict and respond on a case-by-case basis, but there may be situations where South Korea is forced to choose between the US and China.

The US-China conflict is expanding from issues such as pressure to exclude Chinese Huawei products and the use of 5th generation mobile communication (5G) networks to the anti-China economic bloc Economic Prosperity Network (EPN) initiative, the enactment of the Hong Kong National Security Law, and the closure of consulates in each other's countries.

In particular, on the 22nd, the US government ordered the closure of the Chinese Consulate General in Houston for the first time since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1979, and in response, the Chinese government also ordered the closure of the US Consulate General in Chengdu.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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