Xi says he will 'seriously consider' visiting South Korea as he meets PM Han on sidelines of Asian Games

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asian Games, on Saturday (September 23), in the city of Hangzhou, as per Yonhap news agency reports.

The meeting between the two leaders lasted for about 22 minutes and was held before the opening ceremony of the event, said the South Korean PM's office.

Xi after his meeting with Han said that he will seriously consider visiting South Korea, as a part of efforts to back peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.

"This means that President Xi knows it is his turn to visit South Korea," the official said on condition of anonymity, adding that Xi's visit has "long been delayed," according to Yonhap news agency.

Xi, also told South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo that China is willing to work in order to promote a strategic partnership between the two countries.

The commitment to cooperation between the two countries came ahead of trilateral talks scheduled in Seoul on Tuesday (September 26) involving senior officials from China, Japan and South Korea. The talks are aimed at paving the way for the first summit between the three countries in four years.

The meeting will bring South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Byung-won; Takehiro Funakoshi, Japan's senior deputy foreign minister; and Nong Rong, China's assistant minister of foreign affairs all together.

"We will make efforts to ensure that the summit can be held promptly, starting with the high-level meeting next week and proceeding through the foreign ministerial conference," Han was quoted by First Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin as saying.

The South Korean prime minister asked the Chinese president for his country's backing in hosting the 2030 World Expo in the city of Busan, and reportedly Xi said that Beijing would "seriously consider" Seoul's request.

This meeting by both countries also took place against the backdrop of a recent summit between North Korean leader Kim Jon Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Han explained our side's bold ideas and recent developments related to the Korean Peninsula situation, and urged China to continue playing a constructive role," Chang said.

This also marks the very first visit by a South Korean Prime Minister to China in over 4 years.

"I hope to cultivate a healthy and mature relationship between South Korea and China, grounded in mutual respect, mutual benefit and common interests," Han was quoted by the Prime Minister's Office as saying.

He further said that the talks between Seoul and Beijing indicated towards their commitment to advancing their relations to the next level amidst the threats by North Korea.

"Both countries are not only grappling with heightened regional tensions due to North Korea's persistent provocations but also facing global challenges, such as economic uncertainty and disruptions in supply chains," Han said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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