Beijing highlights Seoul’s position on Taiwan but omits North Korea’s nuclear program from its statement
South Korea’s First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun (L) holds a strategic dialogue with his Chinese counterpart, Ma Zhaoxu (R), at the foreign ministry in Seoul, South Korea. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
China’s Foreign Ministry welcomed South Korea’s reaffirmation of its longstanding position on the one-China principle but made no mention of North Korea’s nuclear program.
The ministry published a statement in a question-and-answer format on its website at about 11:55 p.m. Thursday, according to diplomatic sources in Beijing.
The statement cited Nam Jin, director-general for Northeast and Central Asian affairs at South Korea’s Foreign Ministry, as saying Seoul’s position remained consistent with the 1992 joint communiqué establishing diplomatic relations between South Korea and China.
Under the communiqué, South Korea recognizes the government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China and respects Beijing’s position that there is one China and Taiwan is part of China.
The Chinese ministry also referred to an interview President Lee Jae Myung gave to Chinese media before his January visit to China.
Lee said relations between South Korea and China had been built on a principled and fundamental foundation since the two countries established diplomatic ties, according to the ministry.
“The South Korean government has always upheld this position and has never deviated from it,” the ministry quoted Lee as saying. “South Korea will continue to respect the one-China principle regarding the Taiwan issue, which is one of China’s most important concerns.”
The ministry said Lee also reaffirmed during his state visit to China that South Korea respected China’s core interests and major concerns and continued to uphold the one-China principle.
It said Nam reiterated that position during the latest talks.
Nam met Liu Jinsong, director-general of the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Department of Asian Affairs, during director-general-level consultations in Seoul.
Diplomatic sources said China raised the Taiwan issue during the meeting. South Korea responded by reaffirming the position expressed in the 1992 communiqué.
The two sides also discussed the Korean Peninsula, including North Korea, according to South Korea’s Foreign Ministry. Seoul asked Beijing to continue playing a constructive role in promoting peace and stability on the peninsula.
China’s subsequent public statement, however, focused exclusively on Taiwan and did not mention North Korea’s nuclear weapons or denuclearization.
The omission appeared to suggest that Beijing had not significantly changed its reluctance to publicly challenge North Korea over its nuclear arsenal, according to diplomatic observers.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260619010006967
