Chinese FM likely to visit Seoul next week

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is likely to visit Seoul next week for talks with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, diplomatic sources said Thursday, a trip likely to stress bilateral cooperation ahead of a leadership change in the United States.

Seoul and Beijing have been fine-tuning details on Wang's visit that could begin on Wednesday after his two-day visit to Japan, the sources said. Wang and Kang are likely to meet on Thursday.

Wang's visit would come after Democrat Joe Biden was declared the winner of the Nov. 3 US presidential election on a pledge to strengthen America's alliance networks to enhance its global leadership and keep an assertive China in check.

The agenda for the ministerial talks is expected to include the countries' efforts to arrange a visit to South Korea by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Seoul's push to host a trilateral summit among the leaders of South Korea, China and Japan.

Kang and Wang could also exchange views on North Korea-related issues, economic cooperation and joint efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wang was initially expected to visit Seoul last month, but he apparently delayed his trip, presumably due to a key Communist Party meeting late last month and the US presidential election. (Yonhap)