Timely opportunity to steady China-ROK ties

Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Cho Hyun's visit to China on Wednesday marks a timely step in efforts to help put China-ROK relations on the right track of stability, cooperation and mutual trust.

It is Cho's first trip to China since taking office, and also the first foreign ministerial exchange since the inauguration of the Lee Jae-myung government. The timing is also important as it presents an opportunity for the two sides to deepen dialogue ahead of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in the ROK, amid the changing regional dynamics.

China and the ROK are close neighbors and strategic cooperative partners. China has long been the ROK's major trading partner, export market and source of imports, while the ROK remains one of China's most important trading and investment partners. Their complementary and intertwined industry and supply chains are not only the ballast of bilateral relations, but also a contributor to regional economic stability.

Facing the rise of protectionism and unilateralism, it is all the more crucial that China and the ROK strengthen their communication and coordination, jointly safeguard free trade and oppose protectionism and ensure that their industry and supply chains remain stable and resilient. Both countries are beneficiaries of economic globalization, and both stand to gain nothing if disruptions or decoupling attempts are allowed to disturb their economic and trade cooperation. This is why Foreign Minister Wang Yi has emphasized that China-ROK relations should be guided by independence, autonomy and the fundamental interests of the two peoples and not allowed to be the target for constraints by any third party.

High-level communication is essential to navigate this complex environment. In telephone conversations and recent exchanges, President Xi Jinping and ROK President Lee Jae-myung have reached an important consensus on advancing the China-ROK strategic cooperative partnership to a higher level.

Cho's visit reflects Seoul's pragmatic recognition of the value of stable ties with Beijing, and demonstrates the willingness of the ROK government to create conditions for the improvement of bilateral relations.

Apart from their close economic ties, the goodwill between the peoples of China and the ROK provides a foundation for such efforts. Recent events have shown this. On Thursday last week, ROK Coast Guard officer Lee Jae-suk tragically lost his life while rescuing a Chinese fisherman. Equally heartwarming, four members of the China Coast Guard were awarded honorary citizenship by the Jeju authorities on Tuesday for rescuing one ROK fisherman and seven Indonesian fishermen in May. Such stories of mutual aid and selfless courage show that when lives are at stake, compassion and solidarity prevail, and illustrate that the friendship between the two peoples runs deep.

Looking ahead, the two countries must seize the opportunities to build on these positive interactions. The upcoming APEC 2025 Korea will be a platform for China and the ROK, as well as other major economies, to coordinate positions on regional economic integration and contribute to the vitalization of the Asia-Pacific economy. To that end, both sides should also expand practical cooperation in emerging sectors, enhance their people-to-people exchanges, and guide public opinion in a positive direction, so that mutual understanding and trust take deeper root among the people.

At a time of turbulence and transformation, China and the ROK shoulder a shared responsibility not only for their bilateral ties but also for regional peace and stability. As ROK officials have rightly acknowledged, China plays an indispensable role in safeguarding peace on the Korean Peninsula and in ensuring long-term regional prosperity.

What the region needs is dialogue, cooperation and mutual respect — not bloc confrontation or external interference. Both sides must seize the moment, act in the spirit of strategic cooperative partnership, and work hand in hand to ensure that China-ROK ties continue to evolve on a steady course.

History has shown that China and the ROK always face a comparatively stable external development environment when they focus on their common interests and resist attempts to let outside forces dictate the trajectory of their relations. Cho's visit offers a fresh chance to reaffirm this lesson.