FM Chung voices hope for ‘stable’ Sino-U.S. ties in phone talks with Chinese counterpart

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong expressed hope Wednesday that relations bewteen the United States and China will develop in a “stable” manner during phone talks with his Chinese counterpart, stressing the importance of cooperation in tackling global challenges.

The phone talks between Chung and Wang Yi came as President Moon Jae-in prepares to attend the upcoming Group of Seven (G7) summit in Britain, where U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to rally major democracies against an assertive China.

“As cooperation between the U.S. and China in responding to global challenges is in the interests of the international community, Minister Chung voiced hope for the stable development of relations between the U.S. and China,” the foreign ministry said in a press release.

The conversation came after tensions emerged following last month’s joint summit statement by Moon and Biden, which touched on sensitive geopolitical issues surrounding the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

During their talks, the ministers reaffirmed the shared goal of the denuclearization and establishment of lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said.

They also agreed to continue communication to realize the visit to Seoul by Chinese President Xi Jinping at an early date as soon as the COVID-19 situation stabilizes to create the conditions for his trip here.