On Third Day of State Visit to China, President Lee Holds Consecutive Meetings with China's No. 2 and No. 3 Leaders

Meeting with Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, then Departure for Shanghai
Dinner with Shanghai Party Secretary

President Lee Jaemyung, who is on a state visit to China, will continue his high-level diplomatic schedule on the third day of his trip, January 6, by meeting consecutively with Premier Li Qiang, ranked second in China's power hierarchy, and Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), who is considered third in rank. After completing his schedule in Beijing, President Lee will travel to Shanghai for a dinner with Chen Jining, Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee and a key figure in the Chinese leadership.

Yonhap News Agency

According to the Office of the President, President Lee is scheduled to meet with Chairman Zhao in Beijing in the morning, followed by a luncheon meeting with Premier Li. With back-to-back meetings with the Premier and the NPC Standing Committee Chairman following the summit, observers interpret this as China extending its highest level of diplomatic protocol to President Lee.

The agenda for these meetings is expected to focus on follow-up measures for the "full restoration of relations." The presidential office indicated that the meeting with Chairman Zhao will center on ways to enhance mutual goodwill and promote exchanges between the peoples of both countries, while the meeting with Premier Li will focus on economic cooperation directly affecting people's livelihoods and establishing a model of "horizontal and mutually beneficial cooperation."

This series of meetings, scheduled immediately after the summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on January 5, is seen as reaffirming both countries' commitment to normalizing bilateral relations. During the summit, President Lee stated, "This Korea-China summit will serve as an important milestone in making 2026 the first year of the full restoration of Korea-China relations," adding, "Together with President Xi, I hope to usher in a new era in Korea-China relations in line with the trends and changes of our times."

Immediately following the summit, a signing ceremony was held for 14 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between government ministries and agencies of both countries, as well as for the "Certificate of Donation for a Pair of Qing Dynasty Stone Lions." The two countries signed agreements including an "MOU on the Establishment of a New Dialogue for Commercial Cooperation" to regularize meetings between their commerce ministers, and an "MOU on Strengthening Industrial Park Cooperation" to promote investment between industrial parks and solidify cooperation in industry and supply chains.

President Lee will move on to Shanghai for a dinner with Secretary Chen, where they plan to discuss exchanges between local governments, people-to-people exchanges, and the preservation and management of historic sites related to the independence movement. On the final day of his visit, January 7, President Lee is scheduled to attend a Korea-China venture and startup event in Shanghai, followed by a visit to the former Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea building.