S.Korean president’s visit to put spat over THAAD behind: expert

South Korean President Moon Jae-inis scheduled to visit China from Wednesday with an entourage of more than 200 business representatives in a latest move to put its spat with China over THAADbehind them.

Moon will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit, the Yonhap News Agency reported.

"The two leaders will discuss the US deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system and South Korea has shown sincerity in taking China's position into consideration, which has helped restore some mutual trust," Zheng Jiyong, director of the Center for Korean Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a daily briefing on Tuesday that "we hope the THAAD issue can be dealt with properly. China and South Korea could get ties back on a normal track by respecting each other's core interests which will benefit the two countries and promote regional peace and prosperity."

Lu said that China and South Korea share common interests in promoting economic and social development and maintaining regional peace, stability and prosperity.

"The strained bilateral ties have been eased after China and South Korea reached an understanding over the deployment of THAAD as Seoul agreed to maintain the so-called "three no's," Zheng said, referring to Seoul's promise not to add additional THAAD missiles, not to join the US-led missile defense system, nor enter any trilateral military alliance with the US and Japan."

In an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) in Seoul on Monday, Moon said that China and South Korea need to better understand each other's position and hopes "the two countries can get over the injuries caused by the THAAD issue and jointly step into a new era."

Moon's visit will enhance mutual trust but South Korea should know that China's stance on the withdrawal of THAAD will not change as it greatly affects the regional strategic balance, Lü Chao, a research fellow on North Koreaat the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times. Sino-South Korean ties will never fundamentally change until the THAAD issue is resolved, he said.

Zheng said that instead of pinning its hopes on THAAD to solve North Korea's nuclear threat, South Korea should cooperate more with China as the two sides share a common interest in preventing a war on the Korean Peninsula.

Han Xiandong, an expert on Korean Peninsula issues at China University of Political Science and Law, believes China and South Korea may put forward some new and constructive ideas on solving the North Korea nuclear issue, adding that the joint military drills between South Korea and the US have only served to aggravate tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Boosting trade

Aside from political issues, Moon's visit will also focus on boosting trade and people-to-people ties. Improvements in these areas could cool sensitive political issues and alter Chinese people's image of South Korea, experts said.

Moon will be accompanied by a large delegation composed of high-ranking officials from 35 corporations, 29 mid-sized companies, some 160 small and medium-sized enterprises and 40 associations, Yonhap reported.

On Friday, Moon will embark on a two-day visit to Chongqing, which is at the center of China's Belt and Roadinitiative and home to many prominent business operations of South Korean companies, including Hyundai Motor, according to Yonhap.

South Korea tourism has been impacted by recent icy issues with far fewer Chinese traveling to the country. Chinese travelers to South Korea in July dropped 69.3 percent year-on-year, marking the fifth straight month the number of Chinese visitors plummeted, according to data from the Korea Tourism Organization.

Some Chinese travel agents contacted by the Global Times on Tuesday said that the number of Chinese tourists traveling to South Korea has recently increased but remains low.

"The situation may improve as bilateral ties improve but it's unknown if the market will be as prosperous as before," said a travel agent surnamed Ma from an online travel platform.