At the invitation of President Lee Jae-myung of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju and pay a state visit to the ROK from October 30 to November 1, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Friday.
When asked about the Chinese side’s expectations of its relations with South Korea, as President Xi will pay a state visit to South Korea, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a press conference on Friday that China and South Korea are each other’s close neighbors and cooperation partners. China attaches great importance to its relations with South Korea and its policy on South Korea maintains consistency and continuity.
This visit is President Xi’s first state visit to South Korea in 11 years and also the first meeting between the heads of state of China and South Korea since President Lee Jae-myung took office, he said.
China stands ready to work with South Korea to cherish the commitment made when establishing diplomatic ties, uphold good neighborliness and the friendly ties, work for mutual benefit, and move forward the strategic cooperative partnership, Guo said.
‘Superweek’ of diplomacy
The announcement of the Chinese leader’s state visit to South Korea instantly garnered widespread attention from major Korean media outlets, including Yonhap News Agency, Chosun Daily, and Hankyoreh. Their coverage prominently highlighted the visit as a “state visit after an 11-year hiatus” and noted that China-ROK relations, regional hotspots, and the potential for a China-US leaders’ meeting will be key focal points.
Yonhap said President Lee is expected to use the talks with President Xi “to cement the basis for a more stable relationship with Beijing.” The Korea JoongAng Daily described the upcoming APEC meeting as a “diplomacy superweek”, with leaders of all 21 member economies — including those of South Korea, China, US and Japan — gathering for the occasion.
Lü Chao, president and associate professor at the Institute of American and East Asian Studies at Liaoning University, told the Global Times on Friday that with leaders from multiple countries and regions in attendance, APEC serves not only as a platform for economic cooperation but also as a vital stage for bilateral and multilateral diplomacy.
Regarding China-South Korea ties, Lü believes that after hitting a low point during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, the relationship is now at a pivotal moment of recovery and upward momentum.
The Chinese leader’s state visit — the highest diplomatic protocol — at President Lee’s invitation underscores the great importance both leaders place on bilateral ties, said Lü, adding that the head-of-state diplomacy will help steer the bilateral relationship in a positive direction and foster its steady improvement.
During a phone conversation with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on October 7, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China is willing to work with South Korea to strengthen mutual trust, avoid disruptions, deepen cooperation and contribute to each other’s success so as to safeguard regional peace, stability and prosperity.
Cho, for his part, voiced hope that South Korea will take the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting as an opportunity to facilitate high-level exchanges between the two countries and deepen exchanges and cooperation.
“It also exemplifies China’s commitment to cultivating good-neighborly and friendly relations with countries in its periphery,” the expert said, “As a close neighbor, South Korea enjoys robust economic, trade, and people-to-people ties with China. Advancing the positive development of China-South Korea relations aligns with the shared interests of both.”
Beyond China-South Korea relations, the prospect of a meeting between the Chinese and US leaders during the APEC summit has also captured global attention.
According to the BBC, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday that US President Donald Trump is set to meet Chinese and South Korean leaders during his visit to South Korea and APEC tour.
In response to a reporter’s question on whether the leaders of China and the US will meet on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo said on Friday that “China and the US are in close communication on a meeting between the two presidents. We will keep you updated on that.”
One day ahead of Guo’s remarks, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced Thursday that Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng will lead a delegation to Malaysia from October 24 to 27 to hold economic and trade consultations with the US side.
How China and the US, two global powers, manage their relationship will shape not only the future of the Asia-Pacific region but also the trajectory of the world at large, Chen Fengying, a research fellow at the Beijing-based China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Friday.
Commitment to peace, devt
With the theme “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow” and the three priorities “Connect,” “Innovate,” and “Prosper,” APEC 2025 Korea aims to build an open, resilient, and peaceful Asia-Pacific, the organization wrote on its website. It added that the APEC event emphasizes addressing shared challenges, embracing digital innovation, and promoting inclusive growth.
The main APEC summit, the Economic Leaders’ Meeting, will begin on October 31. The first session is titled “Towards a More Connected and Resilient World”, focusing on trade and investment, while the second session, scheduled for November 1, will center on “Asia-Pacific Vision Ready for Future Changes.”
After the second session, President Lee will transfer the APEC chairmanship to President Xi, whose country will host the summit next year, marking the official conclusion of this year’s gathering, the Korea Joongang Daily reported.
According to Chen, global governance currently stands at a critical crossroads: peace and development on one path, and conflict and turmoil on the other.
China has just concluded its crucial CPC plenum, with a resolute focus on development. The Chinese leader’s upcoming APEC attendance at this pivotal moment underscores China’s steadfast commitment to openness, cooperation, peace, and shared prosperity, which the APEC mechanism has always championed, Chen stated.
“Over recent decades, the APEC framework has driven remarkable prosperity and growth across the region. Even as conflict and instability grip other parts of the globe, the Asia-Pacific has preserved relative peace, stability, and sustained economic momentum,” Chen said.
“Rooted in pragmatism, APEC champions global cooperation to tackle shared challenges — a vision that carries heightened importance amid rising unilateralism, protectionism, and populism,” Chen said, “The Chinese leader’s participation undeniably elevates the stature and impact of this vital platform.”
Wu Meng, head of the international department of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), told the Global Times on Friday that the country’s top trade and investment promotion agency will lead a large delegation of Chinese business leaders to attend the upcoming APEC CEO Summit in South Korea.
“China’s business community attaches great importance to participating in Asia-Pacific regional economic cooperation,” Wu said, adding that “upon invitation by the host, CCPIT Chairman Ren Hongbin will lead a large delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs to Gyeongju, South Korea, to attend the summit.”
The delegation will consist of 119 representatives from 57 companies and institutions, covering fields such as finance, infrastructure construction, energy, aviation, chemicals, biomedicine, digital technology, e-commerce, and international trade, according to Wu.
In its report to APEC economic leaders, which the CPPIT shared with the Global Times on Friday, the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) said that it is deeply concerned over the challenges faced by our businesses and communities generated by continuing trade disruption, protectionism and the uncertain global trade and financial landscape. “Our region’s prosperity has been founded on the gradual reduction of distortions and the progressive opening of markets,” it said.
“We hope that Asia-Pacific economies will attach great importance to the policy recommendations of the business community, adhere to the original aspiration of APEC to be open and inclusive,” Wu said, urging certain economies to stop “building walls and barriers” and “decoupling and breaking chains”, actively practice the spirit of open regionalism, and provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory policy environment for regional cooperation.
Li Yu contributed to the story
