Cheong Wa Dae: "Yang Jiechi to visit Busan on the 21st... 'Xi Jinping's visit to Korea' a key agenda" (Comprehensive)

Visiting 'Busan' instead of Seoul on 21-22... Blue House: "Venue decision unrelated to COVID-19"
First meeting with counterpart Suh Hoon, Director of National Security Office since inauguration
Focus on first Xi Jinping visit to Korea since Moon administration launch... Korea-China summit likely within the year

Kang Min-seok, Blue House spokesperson, is briefing at the Blue House on the 19th regarding the visit of Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China in charge of foreign affairs. 2020.8.19
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Son Seon-hee and Kim Dong-pyo] The Blue House announced on the 19th that Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China responsible for foreign affairs, will visit South Korea for a one-night, two-day trip starting on the 21st. Yang, who effectively oversees China's foreign affairs, is seen as a sign that President Xi Jinping's visit to South Korea is imminent.

Kang Min-seok, spokesperson for the Blue House, held a briefing at the press center that morning and stated, "Yang Jiechi of the Chinese Communist Party Political Bureau is scheduled to visit Busan from the 21st to the 22nd upon the invitation of Suh Hoon, Director of the National Security Office." He added, "Following a meeting with Director Suh on the morning of the 22nd, they will exchange views on mutual interests including Korea-China cooperation in response to COVID-19, high-level exchanges, bilateral relations, the Korean Peninsula, and international relations during a luncheon consultation."

This will be Yang's first visit to South Korea in about two years since July 2018. Notably, this is the first visit by a high-ranking Chinese official since the COVID-19 outbreak. The Blue House, which had previously been reserved about the visit citing "schedule coordination," officially confirmed Yang's visit on this day. It is expected that this visit will serve as an opportunity for the two governments to concretely coordinate President Xi's visit and the Korea-China summit schedule. If realized within this year, it will be the first visit by President Xi since the inauguration of the Moon Jae-in administration.

With Yang's visit schedule confirmed, attention is focused on how much earlier President Xi's visit within this year will be arranged. Originally, President Xi's visit was planned for the first half of the year but was postponed due to the impact of COVID-19.

As U.S.-China tensions escalate, there is a growing possibility that China will seek to persuade South Korea regarding President Xi's visit within this year. In particular, with South Korea and the U.S. effectively lifting the missile agreement and rumors spreading about the South Korean Navy's nuclear-powered submarines, which have sufficiently provoked China's opposition, interest in China's response is increasing.

Regarding this, a senior Blue House official said, "It is expected to be one of the main agenda items," adding, "The two countries have been consulting to ensure the summit can take place once the COVID-19 situation stabilizes and conditions are met." Furthermore, the official added, "As the chair country of the Korea-China-Japan summit, discussions are also expected regarding the holding of related meetings and high-level visits following the easing of COVID-19."

However, concerning the decision to hold the visit in Busan instead of Seoul, the official said, "It was decided considering the Chinese side's schedule and preferences as well as bilateral consultations," and added, "The domestic COVID-19 spread has no relation to the choice of meeting location." The official also expressed expectations, saying, "Since this is the first meeting between Director Suh and Yang Jiechi since Director Suh took office, it is expected that frank and in-depth exchanges of opinions will be possible in a comfortable atmosphere." Nevertheless, Yang's visit to Busan appears to have been considered in light of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Seoul and the metropolitan area.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.