Leaders of Korea, China agree to expand cultural exchanges, address West Sea structure issue

President Lee Jae Myung shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Monday. Yonhap

BEIJING — Korea and China agreed on Monday to gradually expand cooperation in cultural and creative sectors, focusing initially on areas acceptable to both sides, the Korean presidential office said. The agreements were reached during a summit in Beijing between President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping as part of Lee’s state visit to the Chinese capital.

The two leaders also shared the view that ensuring the stable, long-term development of bilateral ties requires transforming the West Sea into a “sea of peace and coexistence.” They pledged to continue holding constructive consultations on structures unilaterally deployed by China in the area, which have emerged as a source of friction, and agreed to work together to ensure that vice ministerial-level talks on maritime and ocean economy issues can be convened within the year.

President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping inspect the honor guard during an official welcoming ceremony for Lee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Monday. Yonhap

According to National Security Adviser Wi Sung‑lac, who briefed reporters in Beijing on Monday evening, the two leaders reached a shared understanding on the need to continue holding annual summits as part of efforts to fully restore Korea-China ties. Relations between the two countries had cooled under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration, which went more than three years without a summit meeting between the presidents and placed greater emphasis on Seoul’s alliance with Washington while taking a cautious approach to China.

“In line with the comprehensive normalization of bilateral ties, the two sides agreed on the importance of annual meetings between leaders and on restoring a range of strategic dialogue channels, including those involving diplomatic and security authorities,” Wi said. He added that the summit helped strengthen the foundations of political trust and foster a more positive public sentiment between the two countries.

Regarding the so‑called “Korean wave ban,” Wi said the leaders agreed on the need to advance cultural and content exchanges. The restrictions, widely seen as retaliation for Korea’s 2016 deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, had limited the distribution of Korean pop culture in China, which viewed the system’s powerful radars as a security threat. Both sides said they would expand exchanges gradually, starting with areas acceptable to both parties, while continuing working‑level consultations on specific details.

As initial steps, the two sides agreed to promote exchanges in the fields of baduk (Go) and football, while seeking further progress on dramas, films and other cultural content through consultations among relevant authorities.

Wi also said he was cautiously optimistic about achieving tangible progress on the West Sea issue. He explained that since maritime boundaries between the two countries have not yet been finalized, "the two sides shared the view that restraint and responsible behavior are essential."

Regarding illegal fishing by Chinese vessels in Korean waters, Wi said Seoul urged Beijing to strengthen guidance and enforcement measures for its fishermen, adding that "the two sides will continue related communication."

The leaders also reaffirmed their shared interest in peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and noted China’s willingness to play a constructive role in supporting that goal.

“The two sides confirmed the importance of resuming dialogue with North Korea and agreed to continue exploring creative approaches to easing tensions and building lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula,” Wi said.

President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose for a commemorative photo using a Xiaomi smartphone after a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Monday. The Xiaomi phone was a gift that Xi presented to Lee during the APEC summit in Gyeongju in early November last year. Joint Press Corps

The summit, held after an official welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, began at 4:47 p.m. local time and concluded at 6:17 p.m., running about an hour longer than scheduled.

In opening remarks at the summit, portions of which were open to the media, Lee said 2026 should serve as a turning point for the full restoration of relations between the two countries.

“This meeting marks the first state-level summit diplomacy for both President Xi and myself, ushering in the beginning of the Year of the Fire Horse in 2026,” Lee said. “This summit will serve as an important turning point in making 2026 the inaugural year of the full restoration of Korea-China relations. I am confident that our efforts to develop the strategic cooperative partnership between our two countries into an irreversible trend of the times will continue unwaveringly.”

Lee also underscored the long history of bilateral ties and expressed his desire to open a more forward-looking chapter in Seoul-Beijing relations. Calling for closer alignment with changing global conditions, he said he hopes to work with the Chinese leader to usher in a new phase of cooperation.

“As President Xi knows well, the roots of Korea-China relations run very deep,” Lee said. “For thousands of years, our two nations have maintained friendly relations as neighbors. During periods when sovereignty was lost, we stood together and fought side by side to restore it. Since the (1992) establishment of diplomatic ties, we have developed an inseparable, mutually beneficial partnership.”

Lee emphasized the need to deepen cooperation in areas that directly affect the daily lives of people in both countries, saying such efforts would help address shared livelihood concerns.

“Based on mutual trust between President Xi and myself, I will work to firmly strengthen favorable public sentiment between our two countries, which serves as the political foundation of Korea-China relations,” Lee said.

He added that Seoul and Beijing should also work together to support peace on the Korean Peninsula, describing peace as the foundation for shared prosperity and sustainable growth.

President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung pose for a commemorative photo with China's President Xi Jinping and first lady Peng Liyuan at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Monday. Joint Press Corps

During the summit, the Chinese leader welcomed Lee on his first state visit to China and expressed appreciation for Korea’s hospitality during Xi’s visit last year for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. The trip was Xi's first visit to Korea in more than a decade.

“China and South Korea, as friends and neighbors, should maintain frequent exchanges and close communication,” Xi said. “In just two months, we have met twice and carried out reciprocal visits, which demonstrates the high priority both sides place on China-Korea relations.”

Xi said the world is undergoing changes not seen in a century and that the international landscape is becoming increasingly complex, emphasizing that China and Korea bear significant responsibilities in maintaining regional peace and promoting global development.

“We must firmly stand on the right side of history and make the correct strategic choices,” Xi said. “China is willing to work with South Korea to steadfastly uphold the direction of friendly cooperation and, guided by the principle of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, advance the China-South Korea strategic cooperative partnership along a healthy path, so that the peoples of both countries can enjoy greater well-being and positive energy can be injected into regional and global peace and development.”

Korea's first lady Kim Hea Kyung, left, and China's first lady Peng Liyuan wave to spectators at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Monday. Yonhap

On the economic front, the two countries agreed to pursue efforts to achieve meaningful progress within the year on negotiations related to services and investments under the Korea-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The two sides also agreed to expand supply chain cooperation. China confirmed that it has been actively working to ensure the smooth supply of critical materials to Korean companies, including through the introduction of general licensing systems, and pledged to continue such efforts.

During the summit, the two sides signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) covering 14 areas of cooperation. These included agreements to institutionalize regular meetings between the two countries’ commerce ministers, promote investment linkages between industrial complexes, strengthen industrial and supply chain cooperation, and expand bilateral cooperation with small and medium-sized enterprises into the venture and startup sectors to bolster innovation ecosystems.

Additional MOUs were signed to enhance cooperation in the digital economy, broaden environmental collaboration beyond air quality to include climate change, and jointly address shared demographic challenges—such as low birthrates and aging populations—through cooperation on child rights protection and welfare promotion.