South Korea turns to China as Trump warms up to Kim
South Korea is strengthening diplomatic ties with China as US President Trump shifts his approach toward North Korea. The visit by China's foreign minister highlights Beijing's desire to play a central role in Korean Peninsula security.
Why it matters
Shifting US-North Korea relations are forcing regional powers to recalibrate their security alliances and diplomatic strategies.
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi arrived in Seoul on Wednesday for talks with South Korean officials, as US President Donald Trump’s push to revive diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reshapes the security dynamics on the Korean Peninsula.Wang met South Korean foreign minister Cho Hyun shortly after arriving and is scheduled to meet President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday.The talks come just days after Trump ordered changes to the annual US-South Korea military exercises, saying he did so because of his “very good relationship” with Kim and signalling that he remains open to another meeting with the North Korean leader.The US and South Korea had been conducting the annual drills as a major show of military readiness against North Korea. The exercises, involving tens of thousands of troops, were scaled back amid Trump’s renewed outreach to Pyongyang.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in