Lee Jae-myung Xi Jinping Summit 2026: Pragmatic Diplomacy Amid Missile Tensions

They're shaking hands, but the tension remains palpable. President Lee Jae-myung kicked off a high-stakes summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing on January 5, 2026. It's the first visit by a South Korean president to the Chinese capital since 2019. While the agenda focuses on denuclearization and economic ties, the meeting started just hours after North Korea tested hypersonic missiles, casting a long shadow over the diplomatic efforts.

Reviving Dialogue Under the North Korean Shadow

According to Yonhap, North Korea's latest missile launch serves as a stark reminder of the volatile security landscape. Lee is expected to ask for Beijing's active support in cooling down relations with Pyongyang. During a meeting with Korean residents, Lee described China as an "important partner" for peace, signaling his administration's desire to stabilize the region through pragmatic engagement rather than ideological confrontation.

AI and Culture: Breaking the Post-2017 Barriers

On the economic front, both leaders are looking to turn the page on the unofficial restrictions that have lingered since the 2017 THAAD deployment. Lee called for expanded cooperation in Artificial Intelligence, beauty products, and cultural exports. Seoul is betting on cultural diplomacy to widen access for Korean content in the massive Chinese market, hoping that shared economic interests can outweigh lingering geopolitical friction.

The Taiwan Strait and Yellow Sea Dilemma

The summit won't avoid sensitive territory. Xi is likely to pressure Seoul regarding the Taiwan issue, which Beijing views as its core national interest. Meanwhile, South Korea remains concerned about China's construction of steel structures in the Yellow Sea. Reaffirming the 1992 "One China" policy, Lee aims to maintain a delicate balance between his United States alliance and the strategic partnership with China.