South Korea to woo China's Xi with state visit

1/11/2025 10:59

Chinese President Xi Jinping will wrap up his three-day visit to South Korea with a state visit hosted by President Lee Jae Myung, the newly elected U.S. ally who has pledged to balance Seoul's ties with Beijing.



The stakes are high for Lee who assumed office in June following the ouster of his hawkish predecessor over a failed attempt to impose martial law.



Lee faces the dual challenge of protecting South Korea's export-driven economy and lowering tensions with North Korea amid rising China-U.S. competition.

Earlier this week, Lee also hosted U.S. President Donald Trump for a rushed state visit, showering him with gifts and praise before announcing a surprise trade deal aimed at lowering U.S. tariffs in return for billions of dollars in South Korean investment in the United States.



The South Korean president is set to hold similar events for Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Gyeongju, including a summit meeting and state dinner.



It is the first time in 11 years that Xi has visited South Korea. Xi also met with Trump on Thursday ahead of the APEC summit, striking a deal that includes lower U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods in exchange for Beijing's crackdown on illicit fentanyl trade, the resumption of U.S. soybean purchases and continued flow of rare earths exports.



The Chinese president held talks with the leaders of Japan, Canada, and Thailand as well.