China’s top diplomat Wang Yi to visit South Korea as Beijing seeks to repair ties
- Foreign minister will spend two days in Seoul and is expected to meet President Moon Jae-in
- It’s his first visit since relations soured over anti-missile system in 2017
China’s top diplomat will visit Seoul on Wednesday, as Beijing seeks to mend ties with its neighbours amid increasing strategic rivalry with Washington.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi will spend two days in Seoul at the invitation of his South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-wha, according to the Chinese foreign ministry. Wang is expected to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday.
It will be the first visit to the country by the Chinese foreign minister after ties between Beijing and Seoul soured over South Korea’s deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) anti-missile system in 2017.
Seoul said the system aimed to deter threats from North Korea, but Beijing saw it as a security threat and the dispute led to Chinese boycotts of South Korean companies and their products and an unofficial Chinese ban on tour groups going to the country.
Observers said Wang’s visit could pave the way for a potential trip by President Xi Jinping, who last went to South Korea in 2014.
