Chinese officials to visit Korea to discuss bilateral ties, Saemangeum cooperation

A delegation of Chinese local government officials is set to travel to South Korea this week in a bid to bolster bilateral ties and explore new avenues for cooperation, according to Seoul's foreign ministry. Comprising division-level officials from key Chinese regions, including Beijing, Guangdong, and Jiangxi, the delegation will be in the country for a five-day visit from Monday to Friday.

During their stay, the Chinese officials will receive an overview of the existing bilateral relations between the two nations. They will also pay visits to various industrial and cultural facilities, with a specific focus on the Saemangeum national industrial complex and relevant agencies. The primary objective of these visits is to identify potential collaboration opportunities for the development project at the local government level.

Saemangeum is a massive reclamation and development project located on South Korea's west coast, aimed at transforming the area into an industrial, business, and tourism hub. In November 2025, during a summit, President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed strategies to promote investment in the complex.

This visit is part of the 2026 Korea-China Future-Oriented Exchange Program, a longstanding initiative launched in 1999 to facilitate interactions between Chinese and South Korean local governments.