Seoul – Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Wednesday that Beijing is actively weighing a leaders’ summit between China and South Korea at the Asia‑Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering in Shenzhen this November. The discussion took place during Wang’s visit to Seoul, according to a statement from the South Korean Foreign Ministry.

Wang also extended a personal invitation to Cho to visit China, which Cho accepted. Both ministers said they will continue to promote people‑to‑people exchanges, projecting that total travel between the two countries could exceed ten million visits in the coming years.

Economic and cultural cooperation

The two sides outlined plans for deeper cooperation across several sectors. They highlighted ongoing negotiations under the South Korea‑China Free Trade Agreement aimed at expanding services and investment opportunities. In addition, the ministers discussed measures to stabilise supply chains, enhance cultural exchange programs, and even the adoption of Chinese pandas by South Korean institutions.

North Korea and regional stability

Cho used the meeting to urge China to play a constructive role in encouraging North Korea to return to diplomatic dialogue as soon as possible. Wang reaffirmed China’s consistent policy toward the Korean Peninsula and expressed hope for peaceful coexistence between the two Koreas.

The prospective summit at APEC would provide a high‑profile venue for the two leaders to address bilateral issues and broader regional concerns, including security on the Korean Peninsula and economic integration in East Asia.

Both ministries indicated that further talks will continue to flesh out the details of the possible summit and to advance the agreed‑upon cooperation initiatives.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.