Lee's visit deepens Sino-ROK relations

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's visit to China underscores his push to restore predictable and sustainable ties between the two neighbors, experts say, as he concluded a four-day state visit to the world's second-largest economy on Wednesday.

"The visit clearly demonstrates that President Lee's policy toward China is not about achieving short-term gains or engaging in event-driven diplomacy," said Woo Su-keun, head of the Institute of East Asian Studies of Korea and president of the Korea-China Global Association in Seoul.

"Instead, it emphasizes restoring predictable and sustainable relations between South Korea and China," Woo said.

The visit was Lee's first to China since taking office in June and the first by a South Korean president since 2019. During the trip, Lee met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing and traveled to Shanghai, home to the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea during Japan's colonial rule.

Speaking to reporters in Shanghai on Wednesday, Lee said the visit had achieved more progress than he had expected, with both sides reaching a broad mutual understanding and finding solutions to issues that could be potentially confrontational.

"South Korea-China relations are truly essential for both sides," Lee said. "There is no need to unnecessarily provoke, reject or confront each other."

Seoul would manage ties on the basis of mutual respect and national interests, he said.

Woo said the most important outcome of Lee's visit was the restoration of bilateral ties to a point where direct communication between the leaders is stable.

"Trust between leaders serves as a more critical foundation than individual agreements, providing a basis for regular dialogue and crisis management through diplomacy."

Significant outcomes

Choo Jae-woo, a professor of Chinese foreign policy at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, said the visit yielded significant outcomes.

Following their talks on Monday, the two leaders witnessed the signing of 15 cooperation documents. Additional agreements were signed by companies from both countries across various industries, as Lee was accompanied by about 200 business leaders, including executives from top conglomerates Samsung, SK, Hyundai and LG.

"This signing stands out as one of the most significant in the history of the bilateral relationship," Choo said, noting in particular agreements involving high-tech companies, which marked a key milestone for the sector in both countries.

For example, mobility company SWM reached an initial agreement with Chinese tech giant Lenovo to jointly develop a computing platform aimed at commercializing level 4 autonomous vehicles.

Lee's visit underscores his intention to adopt a pragmatic approach with a focus on fostering comprehensive and amicable relationships with neighboring countries, Choo said. Such a policy could contribute to peace and stability in Northeast Asia, mitigate tariff challenges and enhance supply chain resilience, he added.

While Lee was in China, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index hit an all-time high, reflecting investor hopes for improved bilateral relations. The benchmark index broke above the 4,400 level on the day the two leaders met, rose to 4,500 on Tuesday and briefly topped 4,600 the following day.

Lee also shared on social media a selfie with Xi and their spouses, taken with a Xiaomi smartphone that Xi had presented to him during their November meeting in South Korea.

Calling it "the shot of a lifetime", Lee's post garnered millions of views on X.

One user commented, "A shared smile, a casual selfie — these moments do more to enhance relations than a thousand press releases."