South Korean President Lee Jae Myung delivers a New Year’s greeting at a New Year’s reception held at the Blue House’s State Guest House in Seoul on Friday. (Yonhap) President Lee Jae Myung said Friday that South Korea will continue to maintain its stance of respecting the “one-China” policy on Taiwan-related issues, ahead of his state visit to China for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In an interview with China’s CCTV, Lee said the foreign policy principles agreed upon by South Korea and China at the time of establishing diplomatic ties in 1992 remain valid and continue to serve as the “core guidelines” for bilateral relations.
“I clearly affirm that respecting the ‘one-China’ principle and maintaining peace and stability in Northeast Asia, including in the Taiwan Strait, are very important,” Lee said in the interview.
Lee’s four-day trip to China, which begins Sunday, comes amid heightened tensions around the Taiwan Strait after Beijing conducted large-scale military drills near the self-ruled island earlier this week. (Yonhap)