First Presidential China Visit Since 2019 Lee departed Seoul on Sunday for a four‑day state visit, marking his inaugural trip to China since taking office and the first South Korean presidential visit to Beijing since 2019. He travels with a large business delegation that includes Samsung, SK and LG chairmen, underscoring the commercial weight of the mission[4][5]. The itinerary is framed as a state visit rather than a routine diplomatic stop, signaling Seoul’s intent to reset relations after years of tension[1].

Monday Summit Follows APEC Sideline Encounter The leaders will meet on Monday, their second face‑to‑face in two months after a brief APEC sideline discussion in Gyeongju, where Xi made his first South Korean visit in 11 years[1][2]. Lee’s schedule includes a luncheon with Premier Li Qiang, a meeting with Zhao Leji, and a subsequent trip to Shanghai to visit the historic Provisional Government site and attend a startup forum[4][5]. The timing coincides with Xi’s four‑day state visit to Beijing, adding diplomatic gravitas to the talks[1].

Agenda Centers on North Korea, Economy, and Cultural Exchange Core topics are coordination on North Korea’s denuclearization, expansion of trade and technology cooperation, and cultural ties. Officials expect more than ten memorandums of understanding covering artificial intelligence, green energy, supply‑chain resilience and tourism[2][3]. Seoul also aims to broaden access to Korean content in China, addressing unofficial restrictions that have lingered since the 2017 THAAD deployment[2][3].

Sensitive Topics Include Yellow Sea Structures, Taiwan, Missile Test Beijing is likely to raise its steel constructions in the overlapping Yellow Sea zone, which Seoul warns could lay groundwork for territorial claims[3][4]. Questions on Taiwan will also surface, with Lee reaffirming South Korea’s One China policy in a CCTV interview[4]. Adding urgency, North Korea launched unidentified ballistic missiles toward the East Sea hours before Lee’s arrival, marking its first weapons test of the year[1][2].