South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has made his country’s first state visit to China in six years, signaling a possible thaw in relations after a period of tension and Seoul’s closer security ties with Japan and the United States. The trip comes as Beijing faces mounting pressure from Washington while increasing its assertiveness toward Taiwan and Japan, creating incentives on both sides to stabilize relations. Yet the visit was overshadowed by North Korea’s ballistic missile tests, growing anti-China sentiment within South Korea and Lee’s rapid follow-up visit to Japan. How is Seoul balancing among major powers, and how does China view South Korea’s pragmatic diplomacy? In this episode, we discuss the China–South Korea relationship, North Korea, regional reactions, and the implications for Taiwan and East Asian security.
*Recorded on January 15, 2026 at 3:00pm Taiwan Standard Time
Host: Wen-Ti Sung
Producer: Chinyeh Chiang
Our guests:
Ian Tsung-yen Chen
- National Sun Yat-sen University Institute of Political Science Professor and Director
Chiew-Ping Hoo
- East Asian International Relations (EAIR) Caucus Co-Founder
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