S. Korea to Calmly Watch Japan-China Tensions: Pres. Lee

Seoul, Nov. 25 (Jiji Press)–South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has said that the country needs to calmly watch rising Japan-China tensions stemming from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remark over Taiwan and do its best to maximize its national interest. The presidential office on Monday released Lee’s comments made to reporters during his latest trip to South Africa. Lee held separate meetings with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Takaichi on Sunday on the sidelines of the two-day Group of 20 summit in the South African city of Johannesburg through the same day. According to the office, the president told reporters that he pushed himself a little, noting that he met with the Chinese premier and made a special request to the Japanese side to strike a balance. Lee said he fully explained South Korea’s position and held discussions so that there will be no misunderstanding. Lee said he and Takaichi agreed on the importance of South Korea and Japan working together and continuing so-called shuttle diplomacy, or mutual visits by the two countries’ leaders to each other’s nation, under the current severe international situation. Stressing that relations between countries are the same as human relations, Lee told the new Japanese leader that it is important to try to see the good side and control difficult issues and minimize their effects, according to the presidential office. Takaichi, who took office last month, said at a meeting of Japan’s parliament earlier this month that China’s possible use of force against Taiwan could constitute a so-called survival-threatening situation for Japan, in which the country can exercise its right to collective self-defense. The remark infuriated China, which regards Taiwan as a renegade province and aims to unite the self-ruled island with its mainland. At the meeting with Li, meanwhile, Lee said that South Korea’s relations with China, which had been strained due to the deployment of missile interceptors at U.S. forces in South Korea, were fully restored thanks to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to South Korea last month. Lee also told Li that he wants to meet with Xi in Beijing, noting that close communication is important for building trust. The South Korean president told reporters that the basic principle of his country’s diplomacy is to stably manage relations with China while using its alliance with the United States as the cornerstone, according to the office. Lee emphasized that South Korea aims to expand the alliance with the United States to areas including the economy and cutting-edge technologies from the military field, adding that advancing economic cooperation with China and increasing private-sector exchanges with the country will also serve South Korea’s national interest. It is not impossible to realize the two goals, Lee stressed. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]