Chinese ambassador in hot water over political interference koreatimes.co.kr - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from koreatimes.co.kr Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Diplomatic dilemma
Korea finds it harder to keep balancing act
China s reaction to the outcome of last week s summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden was overwhelmingly negative. The reason is simple: A closer alliance and partnership between Seoul and Washington could be detrimental to Beijing s core interests.
Beijing particularly took issue with the joint statement issued Friday by Moon and Biden after their first face-to-face meeting. China appeared to be angry because the statement dealt with a sensitive issue, namely Taiwan. On Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said China cannot tolerate any foreign interference on the Taiwan matter. He added (the) relevant countries should be careful in speech and deed on the issue of Taiwan, and not play with fire. His remarks were seen as a warning to Moon and Biden who agreed to work together to ensure peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.