Three-Minute Talk Between Korean and Chinese Leaders... "Expecting Good Results" Yoon's Well-Wishes Met with "Hope for Mutual Cooperation" Response

Met Before APEC Summit
Xi Jinping "Hopes for Mutual Cooperation Between Korea and China"
Presidential Office "Many Schedules for Both Countries, Cannot Guarantee Meeting Will Take Place"

President Yoon Suk-yeol met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the 16th (local time), shaking hands and having a conversation lasting about three minutes.

President Yoon greeted Xi at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, USA, before the first session of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit held that day.

When President Yoon wished, "I hope we achieve good results at this APEC," President Xi reportedly replied, "I am confident of good results. I hope South Korea and China will cooperate with each other for this."

President Yoon expressed gratitude for the warm welcome extended to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo during his visit to China for the Hangzhou Asian Games, to which President Xi responded, "I had a wonderful meeting with Prime Minister Han."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The two countries are currently discussing holding a South Korea-China summit on the occasion of this APEC summit. A senior official from the Presidential Office said at a local press room briefing that "there is one day left in the schedule (before departure), and the South Korea-China summit is under discussion," but added, "However, since the schedules of the two leaders are currently very tight, it is uncertain whether it will actually take place."

In response to a reporter's question asking, "President Xi held bilateral summits with the US and Japanese leaders respectively, so why has the South Korea-China summit not yet been confirmed?" the official answered, "China first focuses all its energy on talks with the United States, then decides with which countries and how compactly to hold meetings within the available time."

He continued, "Therefore, after the US, there was a brief meeting with Japan, and whether the South Korea-China summit will be realized is a separate matter," adding, "The two countries are continuing to assess whether it is better to hold a summit and then return based on strategic judgment."

Regarding whether the recent military cooperation issues between North Korea and Russia came up during the conversation between President Yoon and President Xi, the official said, "The Russia-North Korea arms trade is treated separately from China-related matters in diplomacy," and added, "Although there have been several meetings, the issue of Russia-North Korea military cooperation has not been linked in discussions with China."

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