Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned his South Korean counterpart on Sunday against politicizing economic and technological issues as the two prepare to meet with their Japanese counterpart on the sidelines of a trilateral meeting aimed at enhancing cooperation.
Wang told South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, that "China and South Korea have become cooperative partners with highly integrated interests and closely intertwined production and supply chains." He added, "Both sides should jointly resist the tendency to politicize economic issues and to exploit science and technology issues, broadly securitizing trade matters."
South Korea is working to avoid getting involved in the mutual dispute between China and the United States over semiconductors. Wang stated on Sunday, "China is ready to work together to promote the resumption of renewed trilateral cooperation with South Korea and Japan."
As China and the United States attempt to mend their tense relations, including a summit this month between Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden, Beijing is concerned that Washington and its key regional allies are working to cement a trilateral partnership.
Beijing, Tokyo, and Seoul agreed to hold annual summits beginning in 2008 to enhance diplomatic and economic exchanges, but the plan has been postponed due to bilateral disagreements and the COVID-19 pandemic. The last leaders' trilateral meeting took place in 2019.
