S.Korean president to visit China in January; trip to ‘play positive role in advancing ties’

After the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will pay a state visit to China from January 4 to 7, 2026, ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday that China hopes that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, this visit will play a positive role in advancing the China-South Korea strategic cooperative partnership.

When asked about China's expectations for the visit, Lin said on Tuesday that this will be President Lee's first visit to China after coming into office. China and South Korea are each other's important neighbor and cooperation partner. Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, this visit is expected to play a positive role in advancing the China-South Korea ties, Lin said.

The Busan meeting in South Korea between Chinese and South Korean leaders in November helped arrest the slide in bilateral ties and stabilize relations. President Lee's upcoming visit to China may help the two sides forge a more substantive consensus on the trajectory of bilateral relations in the coming years, with the aim of moving China-South Korean ties toward steady, incremental improvement, Zhan Debin, director and professor of the Center for Korean Peninsula Studies at the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Lee's visit to China also reflects his administration's pragmatic diplomatic orientation and marks a clearer prioritization of China-South Korean relations than under the previous government. In this sense, the visit is expected to inject positive momentum into bilateral relations, Zhan said.

On Tuesday, Chinese Ambassador Dai Bing also posted two messages on X in Chinese and Korean, noting that "the two heads of state exchanging visits within a two-month period is of great significance for China-South Korea relations to build on the momentum and move forward in a steady and sustainable manner."

South Korean media widely reported on Lee's visit on Tuesday. Chosun Daily noted the trip will be the first state visit to China since the visit of Moon Jae-in in 2017. A report carried by the portal site Nate was titled "President Lee Jae-myung's first China visit tests efforts to restore China-South Korean relations." Meanwhile, news outlet News1 reported under the headline "China confirms Lee's state visit, hopes to use it as an opportunity to advance bilateral ties."

According to a report from Newsis News Agency on Tuesday, Kang Yoo-jung, spokesperson for the presidential office, announced Lee's schedule at a briefing on the same day, saying that he will remain in Beijing from January 4 to 6, where he will carry out official engagements, before traveling to Shanghai.

Kang said that "In Shanghai, marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of Kim Koo, also known as Baekbeom, and the 100th anniversary of the site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in 2026, the president will reflect on the historical significance. He will also engage in schedules to promote partnerships between South Korean and Chinese companies in the venture startup sector, which will lead future cooperation between the two countries."

Kim Koo was an iconic Korean independence leader and a central figure in the struggle against Japanese colonial rule. Zhan noted that the commemorative activities in Shanghai highlight the shared anti-fascist legacy of China and South Korea, underscore support for the post-World War II international order, and send a clear signal opposing militarism.

Overall, Lee's visit is expected to focus on bilateral cooperation, with economic and trade ties at the core, Zhan said.