China has urged South Korea to join it in defending free trade against “rampant” unilateral bullying amid the bitter trade war with the United States.
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“Both China and South Korea are beneficiaries of economic globalisation,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday at a meeting in Beijing with his South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun.
“In the current situation where unilateral bullying is rampant, we should jointly oppose trade protectionism and safeguard the international free trade system,” Wang said, according to the Chinese readout.
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Trump concerned South Korean ICE arrests could ‘frighten’ investors
Trump concerned South Korean ICE arrests could ‘frighten’ investors
Wang added that China’s policy towards South Korea was stable and consistent. He also called for both sides to act with sincerity, strengthen mutual trust and deepen cooperation while “properly handling sensitive issues”.
Meanwhile, Cho has asked Beijing to help restart a dialogue with Pyongyang, stressing the goals of seeking progress towards “denuclearisation and peace on the Korean peninsula through talks and cooperation”, according to the South Korean foreign ministry.
Cho is in Beijing for a two-day visit, his first trip to China since taking office in July. The trip is expected to pave the way for Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders’ summit on October 31 and November 1.
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If Xi’s attendance at the Apec summit is confirmed, it would be his first visit to South Korea since 2014.
The Apec event, which will take place in the South Korean city of Gyeongju, is also widely expected to be a potential stage for a long-awaited meeting between Xi and his US counterpart, Donald Trump.