President Lee: "Respecting One China... Let's Create Opportunities for Summit Diplomacy at Least Once a Year"

Interview with CCTV Ahead of State Visit to China
Korean Government Reaffirms Stance on Taiwan Issue: "Peace and Stability Are Extremely Important"
"Pursue National Interests to the Fullest, but Do Not Infringe on Others' Interests"
"Strive

On January 2, ahead of his visit to China, President Lee Jaemyung stated in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) regarding the Taiwan issue, "Our position of respecting the One China principle remains unchanged." President Lee reaffirmed the South Korean government's stance on the Taiwan issue, emphasizing that the agreements made between the two governments at the time of the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and China still serve as the core standard defining the bilateral relationship. At the same time, he made it clear that peace and stability are extremely important in regional matters, including the cross-strait issue involving Taiwan.

Yonhap News

The "One China" principle is a long-standing policy of the Chinese government, asserting that mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau are all part of a single country with only one legitimate government. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations with China in 1992, the South Korean government has supported this principle.

President Lee went on to stress that, especially as global uncertainty grows, it is important to maintain a balance between "pursuing national interests" and "mutual respect." He stated, "Each country should pursue its national interests to the fullest, but must not infringe on the national interests of others," and added, "We must coexist peacefully. Acts of invading other countries or massacring other peoples for one’s own benefit must never happen again."

Regarding historical awareness, President Lee said, "Humans repeat mistakes, so we must learn lessons from past experiences," and emphasized, "The historical experience of Korea and China jointly resisting invasions is extremely important." However, he also noted, "We cannot cling only to the past, so we must constantly seek new possibilities for cooperation for a better future for the people of both countries."

President Lee cited "pragmatism" as a guiding principle in managing South Korea-China relations. He stated, "In international relations, all countries do their best to maximize their own interests," but also warned, "If that process infringes upon the interests of others, conflict becomes unavoidable."

He further explained, "If each country faithfully pursues its own interests while also considering the other party’s position and making appropriate adjustments, conflicting interests can be managed, and if greater benefits can be achieved through cooperation, coexistence is possible." Regarding concerns about potential conflict or confrontation in South Korea-China relations, he indicated that he is "not greatly worried."

On the so-called "security with the United States, economy with China" perception, President Lee asserted that "South Korea's strategic autonomy is extremely important." He said, "Security cooperation with the United States is unavoidable due to our military alliance," but also stressed, "A confrontational or conflictual relationship between South Korea and China does not serve South Korea’s national interests at all." He continued, "Within the possible scope, we must strive to coexist and cooperate as much as possible, and actively seek out mutually beneficial opportunities."

President Lee also raised the need for regular summit diplomacy. He said, "Especially in times like these, let us seek new and better paths through more dialogue," and suggested, "Even if it is not on a fixed schedule, we should at least create opportunities to meet once a year." He added, "It doesn’t matter whether I go to China or the Chinese leadership comes to Korea; what matters is substance over form."

Regarding the domestic political situation, President Lee expressed concern about the intensification of social conflict. He diagnosed, "Growth rates are falling and a lack of opportunities is causing clashes of interests, yet politics tends to exacerbate rather than resolve these issues." He continued, "My belief in minimizing conflict, hatred, and animosity, and in building a community where we recognize, yield to, and live together with one another, remains unchanged," and added, "This is an attitude I will continue to put into practice going forward."

Meanwhile, the Office of the President announced that, at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President Lee will make a state visit to China from January 4 to 7 for a three-night, four-day schedule.