President Lee Faces Test of Trilateral Diplomacy among South Korea, China, and Japan: Will He Mediate the China-Japan Conflict?

[Financial News] President Lee Jae-myung is set to embark on trilateral diplomacy among South Korea, China, and Japan amid the peak of the China-Japan conflict. President Lee is also expected to focus on balanced diplomacy in Northeast Asia. For his first overseas trip of the new year, President Lee will make a State Visit to China, where he will hold his second summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the 5th. Subsequently, he is expected to visit Japan around the middle of this month for a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. These meetings between President Lee and the leaders of China and Japan are taking place within just a month or two. President Lee last met Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju on November 1 last year, and he last met Prime Minister Takaichi at the Group of Twenty (G20) summit in South Africa at the end of November. It is unprecedented for the leaders of South Korea, China, and Japan to meet in such quick succession within a few months.
According to diplomatic sources on the 4th, President Lee’s mediation skills will be put to the test amid the China-Japan conflict, which has recently been triggered by the Taiwan issue. President Lee is expected to meet with the leaders of China and Japan in succession this month, taking on the role of mediator between the two countries. This comes from the judgment that China’s weaponization of rare earths and Japan’s interest rate hikes are not beneficial to South Korea’s economic security.
Five days before President Lee’s State Visit to China, the foreign ministers of South Korea and China held a preliminary phone call to coordinate the summit agenda. However, during the call, the Chinese side criticized Japan and urged South Korea to adhere to the One-China principle regarding the Taiwan issue. In response, ahead of his State Visit, President Lee stated in an interview with China Central Television that he respects the One-China principle in relation to the Taiwan issue. Wi Sung-lac, Director of National Security, also expressed respect for China’s position on January 2.
President Lee has consistently emphasized balanced diplomacy between China and Japan. At a press conference with foreign correspondents held at the State Guest House of Cheong Wa Dae on the 3rd of last month, he referred to the China-Japan conflict, saying, "There is a Korean proverb that says, 'Stop the fight and encourage negotiation,'" expressing his willingness to act as a mediator. He also remarked, "Rather than taking sides, it is better to seek ways for everyone to coexist, minimize conflict where possible, and play a mediating or coordinating role if there is room to do so."
In particular, President Lee is expected to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue, a matter of mutual concern for China and Japan, as well as U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned visit to China in April and the potential North Korea–United States summit. President Lee has stated, "Northeast Asia is a very dangerous region in terms of military security. In such a place, it is desirable for all parties to make efforts to find common ground and collaborate where possible."
During his summit with President Xi, President Lee will also discuss concrete measures to achieve tangible results that benefit the livelihoods of both nations’ citizens. In the domestic cultural sector, there are high expectations for the lifting of the ban on Korean content in China, which has been in place for an extended period. Although many anticipated the ban would be lifted during President Xi’s attendance at the APEC summit in Gyeongju, it has yet to be resolved.
President Lee also plans to maintain shuttle diplomacy with Prime Minister Takaichi. It has been reported that the summit will be held at a temple in Nara Prefecture, the hometown of Prime Minister Takaichi, rather than in Tokyo. Separate from issues such as Prime Minister Takaichi’s remarks on Dokdo and the Sado Gold Mine, which are aimed at bolstering support among hardline conservatives, President Lee is also expected to address matters related to trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan.
rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo Reporter