Wang Yi's visit to South Korea comes as the U.S.-South Korea military exercises are being adjusted, with China and South Korea jointly seeking a new approach to cooperation on the Korean Peninsul

German Broadcasting (Deutsche Welle) Chinese website wrote last night (August 19): "China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Seoul on Wednesday to hold talks with South Korea's foreign minister, and is scheduled to meet with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday. This visit comes as former U.S. President Trump ordered a reduction in the scale of U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises, and has shown goodwill toward Kim Jong-un."

Since taking office, President Yoon Suk-yeol has shifted away from his predecessor’s one-sided alignment with the United States, seeking to maintain a balanced stance between China and the United States. Trump’s sudden unilateral decision to cut back the U.S.-South Korea joint military drills has left South Korea in an awkward position. By playing the 'North Korea card,' Trump is effectively putting pressure on South Korea. At this moment, Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Seoul provides South Korea with leverage and opportunity to break out of its passive situation. Through this opening, China can sit down with South Korea to discuss common interests regarding peninsula affairs and regional economic cooperation, which not only helps counterbalance the new dynamics brought by Trump but also reorients Sino-South Korean relations back onto a track of pragmatic cooperation—breaking free from America’s long-standing attempt to bind South Korea to its strategy of containing China.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1873959586174163/

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