"I welcome the peaceful coexistence of South Korea and North Korea as two countries." This statement was made by Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party and Foreign Minister, during the Korea-China foreign ministers' meeting held in Seoul on August 19. This remark was also included in a statement released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Notably, this is the first time a Chinese foreign minister has referred to South and North Korea as 'two countries.' Previously, Chinese diplomatic language typically referred to the two Koreas as 'both sides' or 'relevant parties.' In a meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin in Beijing last September, Wang used the term 'Korean Peninsula.' At a trilateral foreign ministers' meeting in Tokyo in March of last year, he referred to 'each side.'
The terms 'both sides' and 'each side' reflect the historical context in which both Koreas aimed for unification. In contrast, the term 'two countries' acknowledges the current reality that they are separate nations. Additionally, this expression resonates with North Korea's assertion of a 'hostile two-country relationship.' Since late 2023, North Korea has defined inter-Korean relations as a 'hostile two-country relationship,' rejecting the notion of a special relationship aimed at unification and recognizing South Korea as a distinct country.
However, it cannot be concluded that China has officially adopted North Korea's 'hostile two-country theory.' Wang's statement emphasizes the 'peaceful coexistence of two countries.' Nonetheless, it is clear that some of North Korea's terminology has been integrated into Chinese diplomatic language.
Wang's reference to 'two countries' comes just two months after Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Pyongyang. Xi visited the North Korean capital on June 8-9, marking his first trip to North Korea in seven years. During the summit, Xi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un emphasized strategic cooperation between China and North Korea. However, Xi did not mention North Korea's nuclear capabilities or denuclearization. Chinese state media described the summit as a 'new historical starting point' for China-North Korea relations.
As China strengthens its strategic cooperation with North Korea, the timing of Wang's 'two countries' remark is significant. Speculation about a potential North Korea-U.S. summit is emerging ahead of the APEC meeting in Shenzhen in November, raising questions about China's role in this process. The fact that Xi did not mention denuclearization during the summit, followed by Wang's formalization of the 'two countries' expression, suggests a shift in China's priorities regarding the Korean Peninsula from 'North Korean denuclearization' to 'managing the peaceful coexistence of two countries.' Observers will be watching to see if Wang or the Chinese Foreign Ministry continues to use the term 'two countries' in future discussions about inter-Korean relations, and whether denuclearization will be mentioned alongside it.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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