With two weeks left before APEC, the South Korean Foreign Minister announced a piece of heavy news related to China.
According to the Associated Press, on the 13th of this month, South Korean Foreign Minister Zhao Zhao announced at a congressional meeting: China will visit South Korea in person and attend the upcoming APEC SummitHe said that at that time, the South Korean government will strive to seize the opportunity to promote exchanges between South Korean and Chinese leaders.
China will personally visit South Korea and attend APEC
Whether the news said by Foreign Minister Han is true or not, China has not yet given a specific answer, and even if it is true, on the premise that China has not spoken, Foreign Minister Han will take the lead in announcing the news to the outside world. This is almost a “over-the-line operation” in international diplomacy.This is a very unusual signal.
To understand why South Korea is so urgent in this matter, even despite the "higher rate", we must first look at the current difficulty of South Korea, especially the economic level.
Although China-Korea relations have continued to heat down in recent years, the two countries' market ties are still very close. From the data of the third quarter of this year, it can be seen that China-Korea trade volume is still stable at a high level. In particular, South Korea's chips, automobiles, chemicals, electric vehicle batteries, display panels and other fields, can be said, are also inseparable from the Chinese market. Without Chinese demand, the production lines of Samsung and SK Hynix may immediately "lose half their lives".
It is precisely because of this that Lee Jae-myung has repeatedly shown goodwill to China after taking office, stating that he would promote the recovery of China-ROK relations. The APEC summit was held in Gyeongju, South Korea, which was a "diplomatic life-saving straw" for Seoul. Once high-level Chinese officials can be invited to attend, it will not only demonstrate diplomatic capabilities, but also send a positive signal that "China-South Korea relations are warming up" and inject confidence into the depressed economy.
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Moreover, China's relations with North Korea have become closer and closer in recent times, and recently at the party's founding parade, the Chinese side also sent a delegation at the highest level to attend, which left South Korea a bit unstable, forcing the country to take part in the parade. Earnestly want to show the "international friendship" between China and South Korea to North Korea and even the international community.
And most importantly, US President Trump will also participate in APECHe has spoken many times, hoping to have a "direct dialogue" with the Chinese side in South Korea, especially after the current Chinese side has played a series of counter-combination fights, the United States has been hit by the pain and the urgent need to meet with the Chinese side in person.
If South Korea can facilitate China-U.S. contacts in Changzhou, then it is a diplomatic victory for Seoul: it can both show "Korea's geographical importance", and it can also make sense in the United States - let the United States know "South Korea must also have a place in Asia-Pacific affairs."
However, up to now, China has not made it clear whether to attend or not, which makes South Korea too anxious to sit still. Under such circumstances, the logic of South Korea's first and unilaterally announcing China's participation in the conference is very simple: "If China really comes, then it is credit for us to release the news in advance; If China doesn't come, then we can also use this to exert pressure on China to consider its diplomatic image." This This is a typical “first-back” diplomacy.
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Unfortunately, although this abacus is loud, it is extremely easy to "backlash". So far, China has not officially confirmed whether to attend APEC in Gyeongju. As we all know, China has always valued practical actions more than verbal commitments. The delay in determining whether to participate in the meeting shows that China still has concerns about this matter.
And in the near future, China has announced countermeasures against South Korea’s China Sea Ocean Corporation and its five U.S. affiliates.This has also added a lot of uncertainty to China's visit to South Korea and participation in the conference.
It should be noted that, If China ultimately decides to participate in APEC, it will not be a “passive entry” but a “active layout”.Because this summit is not just an economic conference, but also a geo-playing field. Trump is present, Japan hosts South Korea, and China and the United States may send senior representatives – this is a “preview of a small Asia-Pacific pattern.”
If China participates, it will focus on stabilizing the Asia-Pacific order and promoting regional cooperation, and will not be led by South Korea's "show diplomacy".
Conversely, If China believes that the current atmosphere is not conducive to practical cooperation, it can participate in "other forms", such as sending special envoys or deputy prime minister-level officials to show its attitude without losing its sense of proportionThis is “strategic flexibility.”
In short, diplomacy is not a stage for stealing the limelight, but a battlefield for national interests. This time Lee Jae-ming took the lead and may be able to bring some benefits to South Korea's Bo, but if China finally "stays put", Then this diplomatic performance will most likely become a "self-indulgence" single-person play.