South Korea’s top diplomat to visit China next week: Report

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is expected to visit China this week for discussions with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, Yonhap news reported on Sunday, citing diplomatic sources.

During the visit, Cho is expected to bring up the possibility of Chinese President Xi Jinping attending next month’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea.

Cho, the report said, is also likely to emphasize South Korea and China’s shared objective of a denuclearized Korean Peninsula and request China’s constructive involvement.

Earlier this month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Xi for the first time in more than six years. Unlike their four summits in 2018-2019, the two leaders did not publicly discuss denuclearization.

Kim also joined Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a major military parade in Beijing earlier this month, celebrating China’s World War II victory over Japan, the first such event in 66 years.

The report suggested that this demonstration of unity raised concerns that it could complicate South Korea’s efforts to reduce inter-Korean tensions while managing its relations with Beijing amid growing US-China rivalry.

Cho is expected to leave for Beijing on Sept. 17, marking his first visit to China since assuming office in July.