China, South Korea Agree to Improve Relations, Pull Closer Economically

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:22 JST, March 22, 2025

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, a member of the Chinese Communist Party Politburo, have affirmed they are committed to improving the strained relations between their countries. The two were meeting in Tokyo on Friday According to the South Korean Foreign Affairs Ministry, the meeting between the two ministers lasted about 50 minutes.

They agreed to work together to create concrete outcomes that would mark a turning point toward a renewed partnership, with a focus on Chinese President Xi Jinping’s potential visit to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit to be held in Gyeongju, South Korea, this year.

Relations between the countries deteriorated in 2017 when China reacted strongly to the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system by U.S. forces in South Korea, leading to retaliatory measures that restricted the flow of South Korean culture into China.

The ministers also confirmed they would strengthen economic ties, with observers suggesting China may use trade promotion as leverage to disrupt the cooperative relationship between Japan, the United States and South Korea.

Cho urged China to play a constructive role in halting Pyongyang’s provocations and promoting the denuclearization of North Korea.