June 11 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Chinese government has summoned the South Korean ambassador in Beijing, Chung Jae Ho, to convey its “serious concern” and “discomfort” over Seoul’s criticism of statements by the Chinese ambassador to South Korea, Xing Haiming, about South Korea’s closeness to washington.
Beijing has stressed that Xing “has a responsibility to maintain contact in Korea with people of all kinds” in order to “improve understanding, foster cooperation and maintain and promote the development of relations” bilateral.
In addition, it advocates “jointly maintaining positive efforts to promote the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations,” according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.
This summons is Beijing’s diplomatic response to Seoul’s decision to summon Ambassador Xing in turn to protest his statements on relations between Seoul and Washington.
Xing said in a meeting with South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae Myung on Thursday that he would welcome Seoul to distance itself from external factors when dealing with China, referring to deepening economic and security ties with Washington. Likewise, he insisted on the economic benefits of a friendly relationship with Beijing.
“In a context in which the United States is pressing China with all its might, there are those who are betting that the United States will win and China will lose. But this is a judgment that is clearly wrong, a failure to properly assess the flow of history,” Xing said.
These remarks are likely alluding to the pressure the United States has brought to bear on its security partners — including South Korea, the Netherlands, Taiwan and Japan — to comply with its restrictions on chip sales. advanced technology and chip-making equipment to China, where South Korean semiconductor makers such as Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix Inc. have major facilities.
South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho Jin called Xing’s words unacceptable and provocative, saying they could be seen as meddling in South Korean domestic politics.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been receptive to calls by the United States government — his country’s main security ally — to restructure global supply chains to reduce reliance on China. –its largest trading partner–, something that has provoked criticism from Beijing.
Yoon has stepped up military cooperation with the United States since taking office just over a year ago and has vowed to take a tough line on China. For his part, Chinese President Xi Jinping already urged his South Korean counterpart at a meeting at the end of 2022 to cooperate in high-tech manufacturing and work together to guarantee the security of supply chains.
