The head of China's legislature called for cooperation with South Korea in advanced technology and supply chains, as he met South Korean officials Friday amid concerns that their moves to solidify a military alliance with Washington could hamper Seoul's ties with Beijing.
Li Zhanshu, third in the Chinese Communist Party hierarchy and one of President Xi Jinping's closest confidants, is the highest-level Chinese official to visit South Korea since his predecessor did so in 2015. His trip is seen as part of efforts by Beijing to boost ties with neighbouring countries ahead of a Communist Party congress next month that will likely grant Xi a third five-year term as leader.
Li's visit is also crucial for South Korea's government, which wants to assure Beijing that its push to strengthen its alliance with the U.S. And participate in U.S.-led regional initiatives won't target China, its biggest trading partner.
Li, chairman of the standing committee of China's National People's Congress, told a joint news conference with his South Korean counterpart that China supports “realizing cooperation in cutting-edge technology sectors and managing supply and industrial chains smoothly and stably.”
He didn't elaborate. His comments are likely to reflect concerns in Beijing that its intensifying competition with the United States may lead to supply chain disruptions as some U.S. Companies shift sourcing and production away from China. China also opposes South Korea's possible participation in a U.S.-led semiconductor alliance involving Taiwan and Japan.
Li's closeness to Xi suggests his comments reflect the thinking of Xi and his inner circle. Li, who is leading a 66-member Chinese delegation to South Korea, met South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and other top officials later Friday.
Earlier this month, Li visited Russia, where he decried international sanctions against Moscow, underscoring Beijing support for Russia in its war on Ukraine despite claims of neutrality. On Thursday, Xi met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a regional gathering in Uzbekistan. Putin thanked Xi for his “balanced” approach to the Ukrainian crisis and blasted Washington's “ugly” policies.
Li's talks with Yoon have drawn keen attention because Yoon last month skipped an in-person meeting with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who visited Seoul after a trip to Taiwan that angered China, which claims the self-ruled island as its territory. Yoon, who was on vacation, spoke by phone with Pelosi but faced domestic criticism that he had intentionally shunned her so as not to provoke China. Yoon was the only head of government who didn't meet Pelosi face-to-face during her Asian trip, which also included Singapore, Malaysia and Japan.
Kim Heung-kyu, director of the U.S.-China Policy Institute at Ajou University in South Korea, said Li's visit is different from Pelosi's because she arrived after her contentious Taiwan trip.