South Korea, China agree on North Korea talks, early Xi visit

South Korea and China have agreed to cooperate on stalled talks on North Korea’s nuclear programme and to prepare for a visit to Seoul by Chinese President Xi Jinping, following high-level talks.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in met China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, late on Thursday, and expressed his “gratitude” to Beijing for its “constructive role and cooperation” in the Korea peace process, according to Yonhap news agency.

He said achieving denuclearisation on the peninsula can be achieved in “a phased and synchronised” manner to prevent “war and chaos”.

Wang arrived in the South Korean capital late on Wednesday, after a two-day visit to Japan, as Asian governments prepare for a possible change in United States policy under the incoming Biden administration.

Both South Korea and Japan are US allies and host American military bases.

Earlier on Thursday, Wang also held talks with his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, during which they discussed the visit of Xi, which has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Both sides agreed to actively communicate so that the COVID-19 situation stabilises and conditions are created for President Xi’s visit,” the South Korean foreign ministry said in a statement after Wang’s meeting with Kang.

China and South Korea have traditionally been suspicious of each other but in recent years have found common ground in economic cooperation and a shared concern about North Korea’s rush to develop nuclear weapons.