South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is set to depart for Beijing on Sunday (Jan. 4), marking his first visit to China in six years. The four-day trip aims to bolster economic cooperation with South Korea’s largest trading partner while carefully navigating sensitive geopolitical issues, including the situation in Taiwan and North Korea’s ongoing provocations.
Lee’s visit comes less than a week after China conducted massive military drills around Taiwan, the self-governing island Beijing claims as its territory. The exercises, which involved missiles, fighter jets, naval vessels, and coastguard units, drew widespread international condemnation. Notably, South Korea has refrained from joining the chorus of criticism, highlighting Seoul’s careful diplomatic balancing act.
Accompanied by a delegation of business and technology leaders, Lee is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other senior officials to discuss expanding bilateral economic cooperation. A key objective is also to explore ways China might support South Korea’s efforts to improve ties with North Korea, leveraging Beijing’s influence over Pyongyang.
Hours before his departure, South Korea’s military reported that North Korea had launched ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan, marking Pyongyang’s first weapons test of 2026. The timing underscores the security challenges Seoul faces while pursuing closer engagement with Beijing.
South Korea has long navigated a delicate path between China, its top trading partner, and the United States, its main security guarantor. Analysts note that Beijing may be seeking to tilt Seoul away from Washington’s sphere of influence amid growing trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan.
“China views South Korea as the weakest link at a time when trilateral cooperation is strengthening,” said Kang Jun-young, a professor at Seoul’s Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. “Beijing is keen to draw Seoul closer politically and economically.”
Lee has maintained a cautious stance amid rising regional tensions, particularly following a diplomatic dispute between China and Japan last year. The friction escalated after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that Japan could intervene militarily if China attacks Taiwan. Seoul has deliberately avoided taking sides, emphasizing dialogue and regional stability.
“Taking sides only worsens tensions,” Lee told reporters last month. He has consistently sidestepped questions regarding whether South Korea would intervene in the event of a conflict over Taiwan, which China has not ruled out using force to seize.
In an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Friday, Lee stressed that Seoul “clearly affirms” the importance of respecting the “one-China” principle and maintaining peace and stability in Northeast Asia, including the Taiwan Strait. His comments signal a diplomatic effort to reassure Beijing without alienating Washington.
Economic cooperation remains a central focus of Lee’s visit. He is calling for South Korea and China to pursue “more horizontal and mutually beneficial” trade relations. Leading South Korean companies are part of the presidential delegation, including Samsung Electronics, one of the world’s largest memory chip makers and a critical supplier for the growing artificial intelligence industry. Hyundai Motor Group’s executive chair, Chung Eui-sun, will also participate, alongside executives from the entertainment and gaming sectors.
The summit with Xi is scheduled for Monday, followed by trade talks with top officials including Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday, according to Wi Sung-lac, a senior South Korean presidential adviser. Lee will then travel to Shanghai, a major financial hub with a substantial South Korean business presence, where he will attend a startup summit and visit the former headquarters of the Korean government-in-exile during Japanese rule.
Lee’s engagement with Xi last November on the sidelines of a regional summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, was framed as a diplomatic reset after years of strained relations. Seoul hopes the upcoming meetings will further smooth bilateral ties and potentially ease China’s unofficial restrictions on South Korean cultural imports, which have been in place for nearly a decade.
“China’s official position is that there is no ban on Korean content, but from our perspective, the situation is somewhat different,” said Wi, noting that the issue affects South Korea’s cultural exports and entertainment industry.
Beyond economics, Lee aims to leverage China’s influence over North Korea to support Seoul’s efforts to reduce regional tensions and promote dialogue on the Korean Peninsula. Pyongyang’s recent missile tests highlight the urgency of finding channels for communication, and China’s cooperation is viewed as essential to any meaningful progress.
The visit represents a balancing act for Lee, who must simultaneously protect South Korea’s security commitments to the U.S. while fostering economic growth and stability through closer ties with China. Observers say the trip could set the tone for Seoul’s diplomatic strategy in 2026, navigating a complex geopolitical landscape marked by rising tensions over Taiwan, North Korea’s military ambitions, and the evolving U.S.-China rivalry.
As Lee departs for Beijing, analysts note that his administration is attempting a nuanced approach: advancing trade and investment opportunities while carefully managing regional security concerns. How effectively he can achieve this balance will have significant implications for South Korea’s role in East Asia’s rapidly shifting geopolitical environment.
