2 d. ago South Korean leader Lee takes ‘pragmatic approach’ to reset ties with China, Japan

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s back-to-back visits to China and Japan suggest a “pragmatic approach” to reset ties with both countries as tensions soar between Beijing and Tokyo, analysts said. Lee met Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday during a two-day trip to Japan. Speaking to reporters after their summit in Nara – Takaichi’s hometown – Lee said there was “unprecedented turmoil” in the global political landscape and trade order. He stressed the need for South Korea and...

Politics

5 d. ago Japan’s Takaichi seeks unity with South Korea’s Lee as China tensions persist

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will push for closer ties with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at a summit on Tuesday, as Tokyo struggles to draw a line under its widening diplomatic dispute with China. Both sides will focus on security challenges and Takaichi is expected to avoid “divisive” issues, while Lee, who last week met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, will try to achieve a “neutral” stance, analysts say. Lee’s two-day visit to Nara, Takaichi’s hometown, comes at a...

Events

5 d. ago Japan PM seeks unity with South Korea’s Lee as China tensions persist

Japan PM seeks unity with South Korea’s Lee as China tensions persist  South China Morning Post

Events

5 d. ago Argentina’s Milei plans China trip for 2026 as US pressures Buenos Aires to curb ties

Argentine President Javier Milei said he intends to travel to China in 2026, confirming the plan at a moment when the United States is stepping up pressure on Buenos Aires to scale back its relations with Beijing. Milei made the remarks in an interview with the local newspaper Clarin that was published on Sunday. Asked whether the trip was still on his schedule, he said it was and framed the visit as part of Argentina’s wider commercial agenda rather than a political signal. “We have a very good...

Events

5 d. ago South Korea’s Lee Heads to Japan Summit as Seoul Balances China and Tokyo

South Korea’s Lee Heads to Japan Summit as Seoul Balances China and Tokyo  Modern Diplomacy

Politics

6 d. ago South Korea's Lee to Head for Japan Summit a Week After Meeting China's Xi

South Korea's Lee to Head for Japan Summit a Week After Meeting China's Xi  U.S. News & World Report

Politics

7 d. ago North Korea: the elephant in the room when Xi met Lee in Beijing

The leaders of South Korea and China wrapped up a summit this week with both underlining support for one of Beijing’s diplomatic priorities but making no tangible progress on North Korea, Seoul’s main concern. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday for a high-stakes summit held just over nine weeks after their first meeting. During the trip, Lee declared 2026 as the year for the “full restoration of South Korea-China relations” and Xi...

Politics

8 d. ago North Korea revives drone claims in rebuff to Seoul’s outreach

North Korea’s latest accusations that South Korean drones violated its airspace appear aimed at painting Seoul as a permanent enemy ahead of a key party congress, rather than addressing an actual security breach, analysts say. By reviving claims of cross-border incursions and threatening retaliation, the North is reinforcing its portrayal of inter-Korean relations as irreversibly hostile – just as South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung seeks to reopen channels of communication. Lee, who took...

Events

1 week ago Watch Xi Tests Japan’s Ties With Trump | The China Show 1/8/2026

Watch Xi Tests Japan’s Ties With Trump | The China Show 1/8/2026  Bloomberg.com

Politics

1 week ago Chinese President Xi Jinping urges Seoul to be ‘patient’ over North Korean nuclear talks

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “patience” over North Korea’s nuclear programme, the South’s president, Lee Jae Myung, said on Wednesday. Speaking during a visit to Shanghai, Lee said he had asked Xi to act as a “mediator for peace” on the Korean peninsula, including on the nuclear issue. He said all channels between the North and South had been blocked and there was “zero trust” between the two sides. “President Xi noted the efforts until now and said patience is needed,” Lee said. He...

Politics

1 week ago South Korea’s Lee Sees Japan Ties as Vital as China Relations

South Korea’s Lee Sees Japan Ties as Vital as China Relations  Bloomberg.com

Politics

1 week ago South Korea's Lee Says Asked China's Xi To Help Curb North's Nuclear Programme

South Korea's Lee Says Asked China's Xi To Help Curb North's Nuclear Programme  Barron's

Events

1 week ago Li Qiang and Lee Jae Myung back free trade and multilateralism during Beijing talks

Premier Li Qiang called for multilateralism and free trade in his meeting with visiting South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday and said China would promote cooperation in emerging fields such as high-end manufacturing, new energy and artificial intelligence (AI). Li said China aimed to expand “the breadth and depth of cooperation” to achieve more practical outcomes and was willing to expand market access and integration, according to Beijing’s account of the meeting. “We stand ready to...

Politics

1 week ago South Korea's Lee, in Beijing, says he seeks full restoration of China ties in 2026

South Korea's Lee, in Beijing, says he seeks full restoration of China ties in 2026  NBC News

Politics

1 week ago South Korea's Lee Jae Myung seeks 'new phase' in ties with China at Xi Jinping meeting

South Korea's Lee Jae Myung seeks 'new phase' in ties with China at Xi Jinping meeting  BBC

Politics

1 week ago South Korea, China to hold New Year summit as Lee stresses autonomy

South Korea, China to hold New Year summit as Lee stresses autonomy  upi.com

Politics

1 week ago Korea's Lee, in Beijing, says he seeks full restoration of China ties in 2026

Korea's Lee, in Beijing, says he seeks full restoration of China ties in 2026  Reuters

Politics

1 week ago In talks with China’s Xi, South Korea’s Lee seeks alternatives for peace on Korean Peninsula

In talks with China’s Xi, South Korea’s Lee seeks alternatives for peace on Korean Peninsula  Anadolu Ajansı

Politics

1 week ago Chinese President Xi Jinping urges South Korea to ‘make correct strategic choices’

China and South Korea have a shared responsibility for regional stability and should make the “correct strategic choice”, President Xi Jinping told his South Korean counterpart Lee Jae Myung on Monday, as Seoul seeks to turn the page on recent tensions in their relationship. Xi said the international landscape was becoming increasingly turbulent and complex as changes on a scale “unseen in a century are rapidly unfolding across the world”, according to state broadcaster CCTV. As beneficiaries of...

Politics

1 week ago Korea's Lee, in Beijing, sees full restoration of China ties in 2026

Korea's Lee, in Beijing, sees full restoration of China ties in 2026  Reuters

Politics