SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – Foreign ministers of South Korea and China met on Wednesday for talks expected to focus on North Korea and other regional security issues, two days later that North Korea claimed to have tested a newly developed cruise missile.
North Korea said Monday it had successfully tested the missile twice over the weekend, saying it hit targets 1,500 miles away, enough range to attack all of Japan, including U.S. military bases. It was North Korea’s first arms launch in six months and came to a standstill in its nuclear diplomacy with the United States.
On Wednesday, South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong was expected to call on China to play a more active role in persuading North Korea to return to nuclear talks during a meeting with its Chinese counterpart. Wang Yi in Seoul.
While there are questions about China’s influence in North Korea, Beijing remains the last major ally and benefactor of North Korea’s aid. More than 90% of North Korea’s trade passes through China, although the volume of bilateral trade has been unknown since North Korea closed its international borders earlier last year at the start of the pandemic. of coronavirus.
During Wednesday’s talks, some observers said Wang would also try to strengthen ties with South Korea to try to prevent it from heading too far toward the United States amid intense rivalry between the world’s two largest economies. They say China is concerned about the U.S. plan to recalibrate its foreign policy toward the growing challenges posed by China and Russia after the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan.
South Korea has struggled to strike a balance between the United States and China. It is a key traditional American ally where nearly 28,500 U.S. troops are deployed to deter possible North Korean aggression. But its export-driven economy depends heavily on China, its largest trading partner.
The launch of North Korea’s cruise missiles is not a violation of UN Security Council resolutions banning North Korea from conducting ballistic missile tests. Some experts say North Korea could have chosen a non-ballistic cruise missile for not placing its allied China, a member of the UN Security Council with a veto, in a difficult situation.
Experts say North Korea wants more support from China, as its economic struggle has been further affected by pandemic-related border stops, U.S.-led sanctions and natural disasters.
Wang has also recently traveled to Singapore, Cambodia and Vietnam.