No eternal foes, friends, or rules in 'ruthless' global order, says S.Korea's Lee after China trip

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday said that in a "ruthless international order," there are no eternal foes, friends, or rules.

The fate of South Korea depends on "pragmatic diplomacy centered on national interests," he said during a meeting with senior aides, a day after returning from China, reported Yonhap News.

Lee held his second summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping since last November.

"The visit laid a solid foundation for the full restoration of Korea-China relations, and paved the way for increased exchanges and cooperation in economic and cultural sectors," he said.

Lee visited the headquarters of South Korea's provisional government in Shanghai on Wednesday and attended a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the provisional government building.

The provisional government was established in Shanghai in 1919, when the Korean Peninsula was colonized by imperial Japan.

Ties between Seoul and Beijing soured under Lee’s predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted from office last year for a martial law bid.

China and South Korea established diplomatic relations in 1992. Bilateral trade reached more than $267 billion in 2024.

After his summit with Xi on Monday, Lee took a selfie with the Chinese president with a Chinese-made Xiaomi phone, which the former had gifted to the South Korean president during their first summit in Gyeongju province last year.

“The closer we meet, the more the Korea-China relations ease up. We will communicate more often and cooperate even more in the future,” Lee said on US social media company X, posting pictures with Xi.

Primarily manufactured in China, Xiaomi uses Korean-made screens.