Park Jin Meets with Chinese Foreign Minister: "We Will Join the International Community in Protecting Freedom and Human Rights"

China opposed South Korea's attendance at the NATO summit
Wang Yi: "Cooperate to continue developing a friendly cooperative relationship"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the 7th (local time), Foreign Minister Park Jin met with Wang Yi, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister in charge of foreign affairs, and said, "We will actively participate in international cooperation and coordination to protect freedom and peace, human rights, and the rule of law."

This emphasized the relationship based on the "universal norms of the international community" to China, which had recently cast a check on President Yoon Suk-yeol's attendance at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit.

On the same day, Minister Park held a Korea-China foreign ministers' meeting with Minister Wang in Bali, Indonesia, where the Group of Twenty (G20) foreign ministers' meeting was held, and said, "The new government values the universal values and norms of the international community."

First, in his opening remarks, Minister Park quoted a Chinese proverb, 'Sanji er go, taekji er jang' (山積而高澤積而長 - mountains become high when earth accumulates, and lakes flow far when water gathers), emphasizing Korea-China relations based on 'mutual respect.' He said, "If Korea and China become good partners cooperating equally while building mutual respect and trust, we will be able to develop a healthy and mature Korea-China relationship for the next 30 years."

He also mentioned that he intends to promote strategic communication at various levels with China on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.

A Korea-China relationship aligned with President Yoon Suk-yeol's state philosophy, which has emphasized 'global standards' and 'global citizenship,' was also presented. Minister Park said, "We will play a responsible role in responding to global challenges based on the principles of openness, transparency, and inclusiveness in international relations," and added, "We hope Korea-China relations will also achieve mutual development based on these universal values and norms."

Minister Park's mention to Minister Wang of "participation in cooperation to protect human rights and the rule of law" and "equal cooperation" can be seen as a clear indication of a shift in the diplomatic stance toward China.

Additionally, Minister Park is expected to request China's role in deterring provocations such as the 7th nuclear test, which North Korea has virtually completed preparations for. Kim Gun, head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Peace and Security Negotiation Office on the Korean Peninsula and South Korea's chief nuclear envoy, also attended the meeting.

In his opening remarks, Minister Wang said, "We attach great importance to the fact that South Korea's new government has started a new journey in Korea-China relations."

He continued, "We face important development opportunities, and at the same time, there are some challenges we must address together," emphasizing, "Therefore, we are ready to cooperate so that our good neighborly relations and friendly cooperative relations with South Korea can continue to develop." He also expressed readiness to cooperate to advance the strategic cooperative partnership between Korea and China for greater benefits.

This statement is interpreted as an awareness of the possibility of resetting the diplomatic stance toward China in a situation where the Yoon Suk-yeol government advocates value diplomacy alongside the West, and as a message that the Korean government does not want to lean too much toward the United States amid the US-China hegemonic competition but wishes to maintain a friendly relationship.