By Do Je-hae
President Park Geun-hye is getting special treatment from Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
She is the only head of state to be invited to a luncheon hosted by Xi among high-level guests visiting the country to mark the 70th anniversary of China's victory over Imperial Japan in World War II.
After holding a summit with the Chinese leader, she attended an exclusive luncheon hosted by Xi. An exclusive luncheon during a multilateral diplomatic occasion is rare.
It is seen as a testament to how much importance China is placing on relations with Korea and Park's presence at the victory ceremony, the highlight of which is a massive parade by the Chinese Army at Tiananmen Square.
“The luncheon is meaningful as it shows China's special welcoming of President Park at the event. It is also an occasion to reaffirm the prospering bilateral relations between China and Korea,” stated a Cheong Wa Dae spokesman.
Park is among 30 heads of state and leaders of international organizations in China for the 70th anniversary events marking the end of World War II, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Park's decision to visit Beijing came after long deliberation from Cheong Wa Dae as few heads of state of United States allies had committed to attend the ceremony.
“The Chinese side has pledged that it will extend particular protocol and treatment for President Park,” Ju Chul-ki, senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs, told reporters Monday.
This pledge has been reflected on several occasions. When announcing the names of the high-level guests to the victory ceremony, the Chinese authorities placed Park ahead of Putin.
Also, Cheong Wa Dae sources said that Park's consecutive meetings with the No. 1 and No.2 on the day of her arrival in China also illustrates China's special attention to Park. After a summit and luncheon with Xi, Park was scheduled to meet with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang. Such consecutive high-level meetings are usually accorded during state visits, not multilateral diplomatic settings.
As China's victory ceremony has been shunned by U.S. allies, China has shown and unusual level of satisfaction at her decision to visit China and stand with Xi during the military parade.
During an Aug.21 contribution to a local daily, Chinese Ambassador Qiu Guohong said that the Chinese government perceived Park as the most important guest to the victory event. The contribution was printed shortly after Cheong Wa Dae confirmed Park's trip to China after vacillating that the decision may upset the U.S. amid an escalating Washington-Beijing rivalry.
“President Park is a longtime friend of the Chinese people,” the ambassador wrote. “She is a special guest that the Chinese government invited ahead of others.”
Park and Xi first met in 2005, when Park was leading the Grand National Party, or what is now the ruling Saenuri Party. Since she became president in 2013, the two have held six bilateral meetings. They reportedly call each other “lao peng you” or “old friend” in Chinese.
The personal affinity Park has toward Xi is seen as one of the reasons she has decided to attend China's World War Victory event herself.
For a similar event in Russia in May, she declined an invitation from Moscow and sent Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the Saenuri Party as a special envoy.
Park wrapped up her first day in Bejing with a welcome dinner for guests of the victory ceremony hosted by President Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan.