Cho Tae-yul and Wang Yi Hold Talks in Tokyo
"Joint Efforts for Xi Jinping's Visit to South Korea During APEC"
On the 21st, the foreign ministers of South Korea and China met in Japan and agreed to promote Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to South Korea this year and to expand cultural exchanges.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that on the same day, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul and Wang Yi, Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Office of the Communist Party of China and Foreign Minister, held a bilateral meeting in Tokyo, Japan, for about 50 minutes. This was their first meeting since the December 3 emergency martial law situation, facilitated by the Korea-Japan-China foreign ministers' meeting held in Tokyo on the 22nd.
Both sides promised to restore cultural exchanges between South Korea and China, which had been strained due to conflicts. They agreed to work together to ensure that the restoration of cultural exchanges enhances mutual understanding among their peoples and serves as an opportunity to advance practical cooperation to a higher level. Attention is focused on whether this will lead to the lifting of the 'Hanhanryeong (限韓令),' which blocks the distribution of Korean Wave content in China.
They also agreed to revitalize exchanges in various fields, including personnel exchanges.
The two ministers agreed to deepen exchanges and cooperation based on mutual support for both countries hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summits this year and next. They also pledged to work together to ensure President Xi's visit to South Korea for the APEC summit to be held in Gyeongju in October.
Furthermore, they agreed to accelerate negotiations on the Korea-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) concerning services and investment.
Minister Cho requested China's cooperation in managing and preserving sites related to the independence movement in China on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation this year, to which Minister Wang responded that China would actively cooperate.
Additionally, Minister Cho urged Minister Wang to play a constructive role in the Korean Peninsula issue to halt North Korea's provocations and achieve denuclearization. He also clearly stated South Korea's position regarding the steel structures installed by China in the West Sea Provisional Measure Zone (PMZ), saying, "China's activities in the West Sea should not affect South Korea's maritime rights and interests." In response, Minister Wang said, "Let us continue communication based on the recognition that mutual respect is important," according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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