The South Korean president will pay a state visit to China.
Early next week, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will make a state visit to China and hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
According to an announcement from the South Korean Presidential Office on December 30, President Lee Jae-myung will depart for Beijing on January 4. The focus of the trip is a summit meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss measures to strengthen strategic cooperation and tighten bilateral economic ties.
Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said that after the meeting in Beijing, President Lee will travel to Shanghai on January 6th before returning to Korea on January 7th.
The upcoming meeting marks the second talks between the two leaders in just two months, following their meeting on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, on November 11th.
Notably, this is Lee Jae-myung's first visit to China since taking office in June 2025, and the first state visit by a South Korean president to China since 2017.
This sends a strong signal about Seoul's efforts to warm up relations with Beijing.
Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung emphasized, "The two leaders are expected to discuss ways to create tangible results that directly benefit the people of both countries, including cooperation in supply chain investment, the digital economy, and coordinated responses to transnational crime."
The visit took place against the backdrop of President Lee's commitment to managing relations with China – South Korea's largest trading partner and a country with significant economic influence over North Korea – in a stable manner.
Seoul is working to bring Pyongyang back to the negotiating table and has repeatedly urged Beijing to play a constructive role in facilitating the resumption of dialogue. For its part, China has also reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining stability on the Korean Peninsula.
During his stop in Shanghai, President Lee Jae-myung will attend commemorative events. In addition, the South Korean president will also participate in business events aimed at fostering partnerships between startups and venture capital funds from both countries.
