Beijing held a rare meeting on May 13th to discuss tensions over Taiwan and other local issues, according to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s advice to China and South Korea to maintain stable ties despite recent “difficulties.”
In a conference that Cho’s government claimed lasted for four hours, South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul demanded that the two countries maintain momentum for cooperation and prudently control ties.
Cho made his second trip to China since taking office in January, and he made the first appearance there in more than six decades.
When South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared last year that Taiwan, which China claims is a part of its territory, was a “global matter,” not just one between China and Taiwan, adding to the strain in Beijing-Seoul relationships.
Yoon argued last year that attempt to forcefully alter the status quo were to blame for the rising tensions in Taiwan. China protested, saying the comments were “erroneous” and” completely unethical”.
In March, Taiwan made another appearance at a Seoul conference backed by the US. Seoul was accused of providing a platform for” Taiwan independence causes” at the time by Beijing.
According to a declaration from the Chinese foreign ministry on Monday, Wang told Cho that China-South Korea relations had “faced difficulties and challenges that are not in the common interests of both factions and not what China wants to see.”
TRILATERAL SUMMIT
According to the North Korean foreign ministry, Cho advised Wang that their nations should cooperate and that, despite issues, the spirit of cooperation should be maintained while being prudent with the relationship.
He further stated that they could continue to work on the schedule for a mountain of China, South Korea, and Japan in Seoul. The three-country officials next met in China in February.
The conference was not mentioned in the Chinese declaration.
Cho even called on China, as a continuous member of the UN Security Council, to enjoy a creative responsibility for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, according to Cho’s government.
Cho also requested China’s assistance so that North Korean defectors in China may travel to their desired destinations without being forced to return to North Korea by Beijing.
China has long denied that North Korea has any dissenters, calling Beijing an alliance, and claims to abide by the law when dealing with those who cross its border illegally.
” It is hoped that South Korea may abide by the one- China principle, correctly and sensibly handle Taiwan- relevant issues, and consolidate the democratic foundation of diplomatic relations”, Wang added.
South Korea’s international government did not mention Wang’s Taiwan post in its own statement.