South Korea and China’s foreign ministers have agreed to work together to deepen bilateral relations through the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled to take place in Gyeongju on October 31.
During phone talks on Tuesday, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi discussed ways to use the APEC gathering as a “new turning point” in developing stronger diplomatic and economic ties between the two nations. Both sides also explored the possibility of visits by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to South Korea during the summit period.
Wang Yi briefed Cho on China’s ongoing efforts to promote regional peace and stability, while Cho expressed hope that Beijing’s engagement with North Korea would contribute positively to denuclearization efforts on the Korean Peninsula.
The talks come as regional attention turns to Gyeongju, where key leaders—including U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping—are expected to hold a brief meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit.