Chinese President Xi Jinping will host South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on a state visit starting on Sunday (January 4, 2026), signalling Beijing's intent to strengthen ties with Seoul amidst strained relations with Japan over Taiwan.
The visit marks the second meeting between Mr. Xi and Mr. Lee in just two months, an unusually short interval that signals China's keen interest in reinforcing ties with Seoul and boosting economic collaboration and tourism, analysts say. Mr. Lee will focus on China’s efforts towards peace in the Korean peninsula presidential adviser Wi Sung-lac said on Friday (January 2, 2026).
South Korea hosts Xi as Chinese leader rekindles fraught ties
Relations between China and Japan are at their chilliest point in years after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested in November a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo.
Mr. Xi's invitation to Lee for a state visit from Sunday is a calculated move aimed at deepening bilateral relations especially before the South Korean leader visits Japan, analysts say.
