South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Nov. 13, five days before Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders gather in Shenzhen, with Seoul naming the Korean Peninsula among the regional topics.
South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Nov. 12 that Cho will travel to China Nov. 13-14 at Wang’s invitation. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) confirmed the dates and said the trip had been agreed between the two sides. Seoul said the ministers will hold a bilateral meeting and attend a dinner Nov. 13.
MOFA said the talks will cover South Korea-China relations and regional affairs, including the Korean Peninsula. Seoul also said Cho’s visit precedes President Lee Jae Myung’s planned attendance at the APEC leaders’ meeting.
Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China’s MFA, said at a Nov. 12 briefing that Beijing “attaches great importance” to Cho’s visit. Mao described the planned exchange as covering bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.
China’s State Council says the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting will take place Nov. 18-19 in Shenzhen. The ministers are due to meet five days before the APEC leaders’ meeting begins.
Wang and Cho last held talks in Seoul on Aug. 19, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s readout.
