South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing this week in a high-stakes diplomatic effort to reset and restore bilateral relations between Seoul and Beijing — ties that have been frayed by regional geopolitics, economic tensions and security concerns. The state visit — Lee’s first since taking office in June 2025 — marked a significant moment in East Asian diplomacy, with both sides signaling a willingness to expand cooperation while navigating deep strategic challenges.
State Visit Begins Amid Regional Tensions
President Lee arrived in Beijing on January 4, 2026, for a three-day state visit aimed at bolstering relations with China, South Korea’s largest trading partner and a key player in regional security. The visit comes amid heightened tensions in East Asia: North Korea’s ballistic missile tests and the recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela have contributed to uncertainty, and China’s assertive posture around Taiwan and in the broader Indo-Pacific has complicated diplomatic calculations.
In a pre-visit interview with China’s state broadcaster, Lee reaffirmed South Korea’s commitment to the One-China policy, insisting that Seoul respects Beijing’s core concerns while seeking “mutual respect” as a foundation for cooperation.
Historic Second Meeting and ‘Year of Restoration’
On January 5, Lee and Xi held extensive talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, marking their second summit in two months — the first was on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Gyeongju in November 2025. Lee described the January meeting as a pivotal step toward making 2026 “the inaugural year of fully restored Korea-China relations”, echoing themes of renewal and strategic cooperation.
Xi, for his part, underscored China’s interest in deepening friendly ties, emphasizing that cooperation should reflect both nations’ interests and the broader needs of regional stability. His comments framed the relationship as one rooted in mutual benefit and historical continuity.
Economic Cooperation Takes Center Stage
Economic engagement was a central pillar of the meetings, with nine cooperation agreements signed by Chinese and South Korean companies during the visit. The deals — spanning sectors such as artificial intelligence, digital economy, consumer goods, and supply chains — involved major conglomerates including Samsung, SK Group and Hyundai on the South Korean side and firms like Alibaba and Lenovo from China.
These agreements signal a realignment toward pragmatic economic engagement, reflecting Lee’s broader strategy of deepening trade ties while ensuring South Korea’s economic resilience. The cooperation in AI and technological sectors is particularly notable as both nations seek to position themselves at the forefront of next-generation industries.
Social and Cultural Outreach
Beyond high-level talks, the visit included moments of cultural and people-to-people engagement. First ladies from both countries met and shared lighter moments, helping humanize the diplomatic encounter and build goodwill. These personal interactions complement official efforts to ease longstanding cultural disputes — including China’s unofficial restrictions on Korean entertainment exports — that have strained soft-power exchanges.
Balancing Alliances and Strategic Autonomy
Lee’s visit highlights the delicate foreign policy balance Seoul is trying to strike. While South Korea remains a key U.S. security ally, Lee has articulated a desire for “strategic autonomy” — pursuing strong ties with Beijing without undermining alliance commitments with Washington. He has emphasized that cooperation with China need not come at the expense of U.S. relations and that constructive engagement with both powers serves South Korea’s national interests.
This balancing act reflects broader geopolitical realities: South Korea’s economy is deeply integrated with China, accounting for approximately 20 percent of its total trade, even as security challenges — particularly North Korea’s nuclear program — underscore the importance of its alliance with the United States.
North Korea and Regional Security Discussions
While the agenda in Beijing focused heavily on bilateral ties, regional security issues naturally surfaced. Lee reiterated Seoul’s interest in engaging China’s influence to encourage North Korea back into diplomatic talks — a theme that featured in earlier meetings between the two leaders. China’s evolving stance on North Korean denuclearization, perceived as pivoting toward a more pragmatic or “impartial” posture, adds complexity to future dialogue efforts.
The interaction underscores the broader strategic environment in Northeast Asia, where U.S., Chinese and regional interests intersect on issues ranging from the Korean Peninsula to Taiwan and maritime security.
A Forward-Looking Agenda
As part of efforts to institutionalize their renewed engagement, Lee proposed regular annual summits with Xi, aimed at maintaining open strategic communication and enhancing dispute management. This idea reflects a shift toward sustained diplomatic engagement rather than episodic summits.
Looking forward, Lee’s China visit lays groundwork for deeper cooperation but also raises expectations for concrete follow-through — especially on cultural exchanges, supply chain integration and collaborative technological projects. Both leaders emphasized that cooperation must evolve in ways that deliver “real benefits for people’s lives”, pointing to expanded trade, investment and joint responses to global economic challenges.
Conclusion: A Pivotal Chapter in Korea-China Relations
President Lee Jae-myung’s meeting with Xi Jinping represents a concerted effort to reset South Korea–China relations at a time of significant geopolitical flux. Through diplomatic dialogue, economic cooperation agreements and strategic outreach, both sides are signaling a desire to restore trust and expand collaboration.
Whether this renewed momentum translates into durable outcomes will depend on how Seoul and Beijing manage their differences — particularly in security, cultural exchange and political sensitivities — and how they navigate the broader currents of U.S.–China competition. What is clear, however, is that 2026 has begun with a reinvigorated diplomatic chapter between two of East Asia’s most consequential nations.
