China backs summit with South Korea, Japan: envoy

Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming said Tuesday that Beijing supports a possible trilateral summit with South Korea and Japan.

“We have continued to say so, and we will cooperate with South Korea’s efforts. South Korea is making a lot of efforts right now, and we hope that these efforts will lead to a good result,” the ambassador said.

Xing’s remarks came during a meeting with the South Korean ruling People Power Party’s chair Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon, who was the first to suggest that the summit of the three neighboring countries resume.

The last summit of the leaders of South Korea, Japan and China was in 2019, and was the eighth such summit to be held.

“President Yoon recently visited Japan, reinitiating shuttle diplomacy, and I hope that the three countries of East Asia will engage with one another more closely,” the ruling party head said.

“I hope that the trilateral summit between Korea, China and Japan will be held in the hope of maintaining very close ties with China, not only in terms of trade and economy, but across all sectors.”

Kim added that he hoped for China’s “constructive role” in bringing North Korea to the negotiation table.

At the meeting, which took place at the conference room of the National Assembly building in central Seoul, the ambassador said South Korea and China were “inseparable neighbors.”

“The two leaders of China and South Korea have said that we are partners and neighbors. We will continue to work in that direction,” he said.

Congratulating Kim on his election as the party’s head earlier this month, Xing said the Chinese Communist Party hoped to work more closely with the People Power Party in the future.