By James Wong
Recently, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung visited China, marking the first state visit by a South Korean leader in six years. Analysts generally believe that the purpose of this trip is to mend the recent strain between the two nations and, through cooperation in various fields such as artificial intelligence, new energy, and the silver economy, enhance bilateral trade, foster mutual trust, and better maintain peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
In fact, China and South Korea are closely connected both culturally and geographically, providing a solid foundation for collaboration. Both nations also share a painful history as the main victims of Japanese aggression during the last century. Unfortunately, with the involvement of the United States, China–South Korea relations became unstable. During former President Yoon Suk-yeol's administration, his pro-U.S. and pro-Japan stance led to the spread of false information unfavorable to China and the incitement of anti-China sentiment among the public, causing a period of estrangement between the two countries.
Fortunately, after the inauguration of President Lee Jae-myung, relations between the two nations have seen renewed hope. Last November, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited South Korea and presented two Xiaomi smartphones as gifts. The two leaders engaged in a relaxed conversation during that meeting. Merely two months later, the two heads of state met again, signaling a warming relationship that points toward deeper cooperation across more areas and mutual progress in development.
In the field of artificial intelligence, both nations have enormous potential for development. Last year, the South Korean government unveiled a five-year blueprint to achieve over 3% annual economic growth by promoting AI and super-innovation industries under a model led by enterprises with government support. To this end, the government launched 30 pilot projects, 15 of which involve the development and application of AI to enhance public services and nationwide AI education. Meanwhile, semiconductor exports—crucial to AI development—increased by 20% last year, bringing South Korea over 170 billion U.S. dollars in revenue.
As the country with the most registered AI patents in the world, China also possesses strong capabilities in this field. The number of AI-related enterprises has surpassed 5,000, with the core industry exceeding a scale of 1 trillion yuan. In terms of research and development, financial investment, talent training, and consumer engagement, China can serve as a reliable partner for South Korea in AI advancement.
Closer ties between the two nations can also help ease tensions between China and Japan. Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi recently made erroneous remarks regarding Taiwan, which drove relations between China and Japan to a new low. The rapprochement between China and South Korea could help curb the political and military ambitions of the United States and Japan, while also reinforcing South Korea's support for the "One China" principle, helping to stabilize the Taiwan Strait and promote regional peace.
As an integral part of the nation, Hong Kong should also seize the opportunity of China–South Korea friendship to enhance cooperation in various domains. For instance, as many Hong Kong youth are passionate about Korean pop culture, both sides could strengthen cultural exchanges through music, film, and television events to boost mutual understanding. Moreover, since both Hong Kong and South Korea face the challenge of declining birth rates, their governments could share experiences and explore new policy solutions together.
Stable and improving China–South Korea relations are undoubtedly beneficial to the people of both nations. It is hoped that this state visit will bring greater opportunities and contribute to the prosperity and security of both countries.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.
（The author is the Sai Kung District Council Member/Researcher of Hong Kong Youth Affairs Development Foundation.）
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