Envoy's remarks cast further chill over Korea-China relations

Chinese Ambassador to Korea Xing Haiming, left, gestures during a meeting with main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Jae-myung at the envoy's residence in Seongbuk District, Seoul, Thursday. Joint Press Corps

Neighboring countries urged to prevent tensions from escalating

By Lee Hyo-jin

Korea's already-deteriorating relations with China seem to be going further downhill following Chinese Ambassador to Seoul Xing Haiming's openly critical remarks about the Korean government's foreign policy.

Analysts viewed that both countries should make efforts to prevent the latest diplomatic flare-up between Seoul and Beijing from deepening into friction in other fields such as the military and the economy.

During a dinner with main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Jae-myung last Thursday, Xing read a prepared statement in front of reporters, expressing discontent about Korea's increasing alignment with the United States. The 15-minute speech given in Korean was aired live on the DPK's official YouTube channel.

“The current China-Korea relations are facing various difficulties, and frankly speaking, the responsibility for these problems does not lie in China,” Xing said.

He also complained about Korea's stance leaning toward Washington amid the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry, saying, “With the U.S. exercising full-fledged pressure on China, some people seem to bet that the U.S. will prevail and China will be defeated. That is a wrong bet … Those who bet on China's loss will surely regret their decision in the future.”

Those comments prompted a furious response from the Korean government and ruling party.

The People Power Party (PPP) slammed the remarks as a “diplomatic blunder,” with some PPP members calling for designating Xing as persona non grata and expelling him.

The presidential office also expressed displeasure. “The role of an ambassador is to bridge their home country and receiving nation. If they do not carry out their role accordingly, it may harm the national benefit of both nations,” a presidential official told reporters, Monday, in response to an inquiry about the Chinese envoy's remarks.

On Friday, Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin summoned Xing to the ministry to lodge a strong protest against the envoy's “irrational and provocative” rhetoric. Chang said Xing's “unforgivable remarks” criticizing the Korean government's policies not only violate the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, but can also be perceived as the envoy's attempt to interfere in Korea's internal affairs.

In a tit-for-tat, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Nong Rong called in Korea's Ambassador to Beijing Chung Jae-ho, Saturday, to protest the Korean foreign ministry's “unfair response” to what China described as Xing's efforts to “promote understanding and facilitate cooperation between the two nations.”

Diplomatic observers viewed that Xing's strongly-worded speech reflects Beijing's growing concern over strengthening Korea-U.S., and Korea-U.S.-Japan ties.

“From China's perspective, Korea is the weak link in the U.S.-led Asian alliance against China. Adding pressure to Korea is Beijing's strategy to deter strengthening ties between Korea, the U.S. and Japan,” said Lee Sang-man, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University.

Lee added that the Chinese envoy's brazen rhetoric does not mean that the Chinese government will return to its previous combative foreign policy posture, known as “wolf warrior” diplomacy.

“China is unlikely to resort to belligerent diplomatic tactics which negatively influenced its global image,” he said. “Rather, I would say that Xing's speech was an expression of disappointment toward the Korean government's reluctance to improve relations.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping made a visit to LG Display's production plant in Guangzhou, southern China in April, marking his first trip to a Korean company since he took power in 2012.

“The rare visit by the state leader to a foreign company was a gesture that China is still willing to forge better relations with Korea, but our government did not respond positively to the signal,” Lee explained.

The professor advised the Korean government to make more diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions with the neighboring country, mentioning signs of rapprochement between U.S. and China.

“Our diplomatic channel with China should also stay open. But Beijing should also do its part and respect our relations with the U.S.,” Lee said.