China’s Xi calls for stronger ties with South Korea

CHINA: Chinese President Xi Jinping held a phone call with South Korea’s newly elected President Lee Jae-myung on Tuesday, emphasizing the importance of strengthening bilateral ties and promoting regional stability, according to China’s state media.

During the call, Xi called for China and South Korea to “jointly safeguard multilateralism” and uphold free trade, state news agency Xinhua reported.

“A healthy, stable, and continuously deepening China-South Korea relationship aligns with the trend of the times,” Xi said.

“Close bilateral cooperation and multilateral coordination should be maintained to jointly uphold multilateralism and free trade, ensuring the stability and smooth functioning of global and regional industrial and supply chains.”

Xi also urged the two countries to “inject more certainty into regional and international situations” and to elevate their “strategic cooperative partnership to a higher level.”