What China really means when it says it wants ‘independence and autonomy’ for Korea
China's insistence on Korea pursuing "independence and autonomy" stems from a desire to restore an East Asian order that existed before the First Sino-Japanese War, according to China's Foreign Ministry. This demand was made initially in a meeting between Wang Yi, China's Foreign Minister, and the then Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin in 2022.
It was reiterated during Wang's official visit to South Korea last week. The Chinese government believes that Korea should develop foreign relations without external interference and strengthen strategic cooperation with China. This push for Korea's independence and autonomy is part of China's broader strategy to expand its influence on the Korean Peninsula, compete with the US, and bring Japan to heel.
Written by urgent.news from The Hankyoreh's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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