China willing to work with South Korea ahead of summit with Japan: Xi Jinping

In light of escalating tensions involving Russia, the United States, and North Korea, President Xi Jinping said on Saturday that China is ready to cooperate with South Korea to advance a strategic alliance that can change with the times. Prior to the Asian Games opening ceremony, Xi met with Han in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, according to China Central Television (CCTV). Prior to the scheduled trilateral discussions between China, Japan, and South Korea in Seoul on September 26, the first summit presided over by their senior officials in four years, a pledge to cooperation was made. According to a source from Yonhap on Saturday, Xi told Han that he welcomes the summit at an appropriate time and will carefully consider visiting South Korea. A Chinese statement did not mention Xi’s comment on the summit or a visit to Seoul. Xi stated that China places a high value on South Korea’s positive attitude to commit to cooperation and urged South Korea to meet China halfway to maintain the course of friendly cooperation. He suggested that the two nations might intensify their mutually beneficial collaborations. Following North Korea’s Kim Jong Un’s week-long visit to Russia earlier this month, which incensed the US, Japan, and South Korea, tensions between the two East Asian nations grew. The foreign ministry announced on Thursday that South Korea has imposed sanctions on 10 people and two organisations in connection with North Korea’s nuclear programme and its trafficking in weapons with three nations, including Russia. (With agency inputs)