[INTERVIEW] Chinese envoy says 'anti-China' grouping will cause confrontation

Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming speaks during an interview with The Korea Times and its sister paper the Hankook Ilbo at the Chinese embassy in Seoul, Feb. 5. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

'South Korea has wisdom to balance Washington-Beijing diplomacy'

By Yi Whan-woo

The Beijing-Washington confrontation is in progress under new American President Joe Biden, and his approach to China is characterized by his moves to restore the U.S.' traditional alliances while evolving them into a broader coalition by expanding the Quad.

The U.S. has been pressuring South Korea to strengthen cooperation with Japan for the sake of the U.S.-South Korea-Japan alliance in the Indo-Pacific, and it is widely expected that Washington will encourage Seoul to join the enlarged version of the Quad.

The situation is pushing Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming to view the U.S.-South Korea-Japan alliance as a more sensitive issue than in his previous years in Seoul ― as a councilor and minister-councilor in the 2000s, and as deputy chief in the 2010s and ambassador since 2020

"China deems forming a small group internationally or instigating a new Cold War in an attempt to exclude, intimidate, and isolate a third country as well cutting off its ties with others will inevitably force the world into division and confrontation," Xing said during a joint interview with The Korea Times and its sister paper the Hankook Ilbo at the embassy, Feb. 5, indicating China's opposition to the Quad or other types of "anti-China" coalitions.

"Any multilateral cooperation in the region should be in the right direction and advantageous to regional and global peace and security."

His remarks were in response to the three-way alliance highlighted during a phone call between Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and new U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Jan. 27.

In a separate phone call with President Moon Jae-in, Feb. 4, Biden underlined the Washington-Seoul bilateral alliance, which he has called "the linchpin for peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia."

In addition to these bilateral and trilateral alliances, the Quad ― a coalition of the U.S., Japan, Australia and India to rein in China ― has become a key word for South Korean diplomacy and security although the Moon government has been taking an ambiguous stance about joining it.

It is up to South Korea, Xing underlined, to judge what is good for its long-term national interest and decide whether to be a part of an expanded Quad.

"Still, I would not agree with an idea of forming a group that targets China. It does not look right," he said.

Asked about Seoul's dilemma of balancing diplomacy between Washington and Beijing, Xing said South Korea's ties to the two major powers are "both important."

"From China's perspective, such ties will not necessarily be in conflict as long as someone does not deliberately stir up problems," the envoy said. "I believe South Korea has the wisdom to manage its bilateral ties with the U.S and China for the long-term interest of its statehood and people."

The envoy said he disagrees with speculation on the timing of the phone talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Moon, Jan. 26, prior to the Moon-Biden phone call.

The Jan. 26 call has been interpreted here as China's attempt to stop South Korea from getting closer to the U.S.

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"Everyone knows about the Seoul-Washington alliance and the Seoul-Beijing strategic cooperative partnership … It is the best to discuss what lies ahead in bilateral relations at the beginning of the year, and that was how the (Jan. 26) dialogue came about," Xing explained.

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) U.S. missile shield is deployed in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in this July 2017 photo. Korea Times file

THAAD, hallyu ban

Decisions made by Seoul that are detrimental to Beijing could result in economic retaliation, as happened after the 2016 deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) U.S. missile shield in South Korea.

Seoul and Beijing in 2017 officially agreed to end the THAAD standoff and move forward, but there is a persistent belief here that the ban on hallyu, Korean pop culture, still remains effective as one of the retaliatory measures.

Xing dismissed the belief, calling it "a groundless rumor that will naturally go away as cultural exchanges deepen, and the basis for mutual friendship is solidified over and over."

"The two countries have had their ups and downs in bilateral relations with their exchange and cooperation being affected by THAAD deployment, but this is something that neither party wanted," he said. "We have a shared consensus to resolve THAAD-related problems step by step, and China-South Korea ties are back on a normal track."

Nevertheless, Xing reaffirmed Beijing's stance that THAAD directly concerns its national security interests regarding opinions that additional THAAD batteries should be deployed here to cope with Pyongyang's evolving ballistic missile threats. The U.S. currently has a single battery stationed here.

"China's stance has been consistent, clear and remains unchanged. I hope any THAAD-related matters will be dealt with appropriately and settled completely," he said.

Kimchi row

Regarding the latest online spat in South Korea and China over the origins of kimchi and hanbok, Xing noted that the two sides should take into account "thousands of years of history and values shared by the two countries."

China's claims over kimchi and hanbok are in reference to its ethnic Koreans ― one of the 55 non-Han minorities who collectively make up about 8 percent of the country's 1.4 billion population.

For many South Koreans, it was viewed as an attempt to "steal culture," and accordingly, a free ride on the hallyu wave that has brought international interest in traditional Korean culture.

"Shared history and values evolve over time and many of them are deeply rooted in what I would call the cultural DNA of the both countries," Xing said. "Taking this into account, the people of the two countries should tear down emotional barriers, resolve any misunderstandings, biases and mistrust so that we can be closer."

Asked whether the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing could be a stage for inter-Korean reconciliation, Xing noted it is primarily a sporting event.

"But even so, facilitating world peace through a sporting event is a good idea," he said, adding China will always be on the same side for peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming speaks on coronavirus situation in China during a press briefing at the Chinese embassy in Seoul, Feb. 4, 2020. Korea Times file

A career diplomat, Xing has mostly served in Seoul and Pyongyang after joining the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1986. He was an ambassador to Mongolia before officially beginning his term here, Feb. 7, 2020.

Fluent in Korean, Xing was in the media spotlight for holding a press conference just days after his arrival and freely engaging in a question and answer session with journalists about Beijing's fight against the coronavirus that broke out in Wuhan, China.

He expressed the hope to "be in close contact" with journalists "to introduce more truthful, dynamic and comprehensive aspects of China to the people of South Korea."