China, South Korea Pledge to Boost Trade and Regional Stability Amid North Korea Missile Tests

BEIJING:China and South Korea’s leaders pledged on Monday to strengthen trade ties and safeguard regional stability during talks in Beijing, even as North Korea’s latest ballistic missile tests overshadowed the high-level meeting.South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, on his first visit to China since taking office in June, met President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People as part of a four-day trip aimed at resetting bilateral relations.Xi emphasized the two countries’ “important responsibilities in maintaining regional peace and promoting global development,” according to a readout broadcast by state-run CCTV. Lee said the meeting marked the opening of “a new chapter” in Korea-China relations during a period of geopolitical change.

“The two countries should make joint contributions to promote peace, which is the foundation for prosperity and growth,” Lee said.The visit comes as Beijing seeks to shore up regional support amid rising tensions with Japan. Relations between China and South Korea have fluctuated in recent years, particularly over Seoul’s closer alignment with the United States and Japan and its approval of a U.S. missile defense system. Lee, a liberal leader, has vowed to improve ties with China while maintaining strong relations with Washington and Tokyo.

Just hours before Lee arrived in Beijing, North Korea fired several ballistic missiles into the sea, including what it claimed were hypersonic weapons. Foreign experts have questioned whether Pyongyang possesses a fully operational hypersonic missile capability.

During the summit, both sides agreed to continue exploring ways to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula. South Korea’s national security adviser Wi Sung-lac said China reaffirmed its intention to play a “constructive role” in promoting regional peace.China remains North Korea’s key ally and economic lifeline and, along with Russia, has repeatedly blocked efforts at the United Nations to tighten sanctions against Pyongyang. The missile launches also followed North Korea’s criticism of a recent U.S. attack on Venezuela that resulted in the removal of President Nicolás Maduro.